Other sleeping disorders

What are the Causes of Hypnagogic hallucinations?

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: March 22, 2022
What are the Causes of Hypnagogic hallucinations?

Hypnagogic hallucinations are experienced when a person is on the verge of sleeping or waking, i.e. as they drift between a state of sleep-wakefulness. The person in question may see visions or hear distorted sounds which might affect their perception of reality.

This type of mental disorder occurs during a state of consciousness known as "hypnagogia", the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep in which what is perceived can be altered by our mind. Here at OneHowTo, we'd like to help you to understand this disorder a little better and explain the causes of hypnagogic hallucinations.

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1

One possible cause of hypnagogic hallucinations is the mental health of the person suffering from this sleep disorder. Whilst it's true that not all people who experience hallucinations are ill, the vast majority have some type of sleep disorder which may stem from hypnagogic hallucinations.

Disorders that can cause this kind of hallucination include:

2

Another cause of hypnagogic hallucinations may be a lack of sleep or irregular bedtime hours. When somebody does not get enough sleep, neurons can cause illusions in the person's mind, causing hallucinations.

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Hypnagogic hallucinations can also be brought on by drugs or drinking to excess, since consumption of narcotics alters one's perception of reality. Above all, hallucinations appear as a consequence of using very large quantities of these drugs as they exceed the level of toxicity that our body and mind can tolerate.

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Another cause of hypnagogic hallucinations is anxiety, a nervous disorder that can lead to sleep disturbances. The usual neural activity of our mind can be altered by anxiety and sometimes cause a person to suffer from hallucinations before bedtime.

It is important to try to reduce anxiety before bed in order to be able to fall asleep and to avoid experiencing these hallucinations. If you want to know how, here at OneHowTo we've made a list of the best teas to calm anxiety.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What are the Causes of Hypnagogic hallucinations?, we recommend you visit our Mental health category.

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What are the Causes of Hypnagogic hallucinations?