Hallucinations While Sleeping

Hallucinations while sleeping or sleep related hallucinations is a parasomnia or sleep disorder. This type of hallucination can target any of the sensory organs, that is, it could be visual, auditory, tactile or olfactory, but for most people it is visual. Hallucinations in the night, as per the hallucination definition, are characterized by unpleasant events that are imagined and occur while sleeping or to be more precise, when the person is in a state that lies in between being awake and being in sleep. A sense of motion may also be involved along with the sensory organs. Often, hallucinations are confused with illusions and dreams or nightmares as most people do not really realize that they are actually hallucinating. Hallucinations and delusions are also often confused with each other, even though there are some major differences between the two. Read more on hallucinations vs delusions.

Medical Perspective on Hallucinations While Sleeping
Medically speaking, there are two forms of hallucinations while sleeping or parasomniac hallucinations. Hallucinations that occur when a person is about to sleep are known as hypnogogic hallucinatiions or hypnogogia, and those that occur when a person is about to wake up from sleep are known as hypnopompic hallucinations or hypnopompia. Such hallucinations can also occur during the day and there are quite a few people who experience daytime episodes of hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. There are various causes of hallucinations while sleeping and them may be accompanied by a few other medical conditions.

Hallucinations while sleeping is common among people of all ages. Hallucinations in the elderly and hallucinations in children are often observed to be of this type. Also, females are more prone to such hallucinations than males. People suffering from hallucinations while sleeping are often unable to distinguish between reality and what they saw which leads to them being confused most of the times. People suffering from hallucinations while sleeping report of sounds that are not very clear and sights that are mostly distorted. Read more on hallucinations in the elderly.

Hallucinations While Sleeping Causes
Hypnogogia and hypnopompia can be caused due to medical conditions like depression, sleep paralysis, narcolepsy, schizophrenia, etc. Other hallucination causes include, substance abuse, sleep deprivation or insomnia, stress, fear and anxiety, consumption of certain kind of medications like sleeping pills, consumption of hallucinogens, mental illnesses and brain damage. Hallucinations while sleeping may be accompanied by sleepwalking and sleep talking as well. Sleep paralysis is common among people suffering from hypnopompic hallucinations than those suffering from hypnogogic hallucinations. They experience severe immobility along with visuals of some complex and clear images. Read more on sleep paralysis.

Hallucinations While Sleeping Treatment
There is no particular treatment for hallucinations while sleeping, if they are experienced less frequently. Most people experience it when they are going through a phase of mental distress and it disappears with an improvement in the mental state of the person. For people who experience hallucinations while sleeping on a regular basis, consulting a doctor or a sleep specialist maybe of some help. The medical condition causing hypogogia or hypopompia needs to be treated for its cure, and medical help should be sought for the same.

Tips for Preventing Sleep Related Hallucinations
It is very important to follow a few steps in curbing the onset of hallucinations as they might prove to be quite detrimental to one's health. Here are a few simple tips and methods to go about it:

• Have a regular schedule for sleeping and get enough rest and sleep.
• Keep your mind clear of any kind of thoughts before you go to bed.
• Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing and meditation regularly to prevent and cure hallucinations while sleeping.
• Tire yourself as much as possible before you finally decide to sleep. You tend to fall asleep faster when you are tired.
• Discontinue or refrain from the use of any such medication or substance that can cause hallucinations. Read more on tips to tackle hallucinations.

Hallucinations while sleeping caused due to narcolepsy should not be ignored and narcolepsy should be treated without any delay to avoid other serious mental and psychological disorders.