The defining symptom of a hypnagogic hallucination is imagining very realistic objects or events (usually visually) right before falling asleep. You may wake up in extreme fear that your hallucination was real. You might hear someone speaking to you or telling you to do certain things. The voice may be angry, neutral, or warm. Other examples of this type of hallucination include hearing sounds, like someone walking in the attic or repeated clicking or tapping noises.
Does everyone have hypnagogic?
Although hypnagogic hallucinations occur more commonly in people with certain sleep disorders, they are considered normal and common in healthy people. Although hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis are two separate phenomena, they can occur simultaneously10 and might feel like a nightmare.
What does Hypnagogia feel like?
A person will experience vivid hallucinations as they fall asleep, or just before falling asleep. These can be images, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, or sounds. A person may also feel as if they are moving while their body is still. This sensation could be a feeling of falling or flying.
