Hallucinations upon waking (auditory and tactile)

[Sparkle1984]

This happened to me twice last night - I was woken by an auditory hallucination. The first time, it was in the middle of the night and it was still dark outside, and I was woken by a voice. It sounded quite loud - I can't remember what it said (it was nothing menacing or anything like that), but luckily I managed to fall straight back to sleep again. Then this morning, I was woken by the sound of a loud cough - it sounded like it was coming from inside my head. It definitely wasn't me coughing. About a couple of seconds after hearing the cough, my step-dad knocked on the door as it was time for me to get up.

This sort of thing has happened to me in the past - back in August one night I was woken up by the sound of someone snoring, but I knew it wasn't real as I don't snore. About 7 years ago, I was woken up by a tapping sensation on my shoulder. It felt like someone was tapping me on the shoulder to get me to wake up, but when I turned round no-one was there and my bedroom door was still closed (I always have my door closed when I'm sleeping). That happened 2 or 3 times in the same month - one of the times, the tapping sensation was on my back instead of my shoulder. Since then, I've always slept with the covers wrapped around my body completely, and I've never felt the tapping sensation since then.

I wonder what could be causing this. Has anyone else here had a similar experience? I've been thinking about the incident this morning where I heard the coughing sound immediately before my step-dad knocked on my door, and I'm thinking that maybe it was because my brain was in transition from the sleeping to awakened state, so maybe the coughing sound was part of a dream?

[speckles69uk]

Hey Sparkle,

I have also experienced hallucinations - voices talking to me, objects moving, shadowy figures and quite recently smelling tobacco pipe smoke. They happen while I'm up and about wide awake and also when waking and going to sleep. Apparently hallucinations when waking or going to sleep are quite common, they're called hypnagogic hallucinations.

If yuou experience them frequently and they are troubling you, have you spoken to your GP about it, just so that they can give you a medical reassurance and make sure there is no underlying cause?

I know it's easy for me to say, but please don't worry, they are very common. I think people aren't aware of it being common because people are scared to talk about it through fear.

Take care

Rebecca

[Wolfie]

Yep! I get this too, like mentioned above, it's called Hypnagogic hallucinations, more commonly known as exploding head syndrome as well!

Don't worry, they can't hurt you!

Try the GP and you might be able to get something to help you too.

[Mark13]

Hi Sparkle

Oh I'm trying to control myself from being pedantic....

No, can't do it :)

Your experiences are called hypnopompic not hypnogogic (the first is upon waking, the second relates to before sleep).

It's quite common it would seem.

From Wikipedia:
"When the awakening occurs out of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, in which most dreams occur, the hypnopompic state is sometimes accompanied by lingering vivid imagery"

Never had it myself, but I did used to have hypnogogic illusions where I could walk around a room in my mind, it was quite realistic, much more than imagination (of which I have very little :))

All the best.

[Sparkle1984]

Thanks for your replies. I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets this! I suppose a lot of people are too embarrassed to talk about this with their friends, so everyone thinks it's more rare than it actually is.

When I had those tactile hallucinations 7 years ago, I was quite scared as I thought it might be a sign of spirit activity (ie a haunting) or something like that! I'm fascinated by ghosts, but if I had one in my own house I'd be terrified!

I haven't mentioned it to my doctor, as it happens fairly rarely. However, if it does start to happen more often, I will mention it at my next meds review.

Anyway, I'll see how I go tonight. :)

[Mark13]

I was quite scared as I thought it might be a sign of spirit activity (ie a haunting) or something like that! I'm fascinated by ghosts, but if I had one in my own house I'd be terrified!
Same here, fascinating subject, but I'll let someone else find the proof :)

Hope you have an untroubled night.

[Anxious_gal]

Durning sleep paralysis I've had tactile hallucinations, basically it felt as if someone was holding me down and it was painful! Even after I came out of it it took a few minutes for the pain to fully go.
I think if rather a quick tap on the shoulder :)

[Sparkle1984]

Thankfully I had a restful sleep last night. Let's hope it continues! :)

I think the hallucinations could've happened because I've been under extra stress in the last few days, with a strict deadline at work, and I've also been going out several evenings to Christmas meals and parties, so my life has been pretty hectic lately!