Sleep Hallucinations – What is it?
Sleep-related hallucinations are easily confused with dreams because they are imagined events that seem very real, but are not dreams because they occur when you are awake; typically, just as you are waking up or just as you are falling asleep. The images, sounds, smells, and touch you experience during sleep hallucinations may last up to several minutes and usually cause fear, much like a nightmare.
What causes it?
Sleep hallucinations can be a result of another sleep disorder, a side effect of certain medications, a mental health disorder, such as bipolar disorder, or substance abuse. Other common factors that can cause sleep hallucinations are:
- Drug use (past or present)
- Heavy alcohol use (past or present)
- Anxiety
- Mood disorders
- Insomnia
Possible Solutions
Normally, sleep hallucinations gradually decrease over time and will go away on their own. The most effective aid to relieve yourself of sleep hallucinations is to:
- Get an appropriate amount of sleep
- Establish a regular sleeping schedule
- Avoid the consumption of alcohol and drug use
If further treatment is needed, doctors usually will prescribe an anti-depressant.
Why get treatment?
If your dreams and hallucinations are causing major sleep disruptions due to extreme fear and anxiety, then a doctor may want to prescribe medication, typically anti-depressant and anxiety medications.