According to *Salem Health’s 4th Edition Psychology & Behavioral Health*, “Hallucinations are defined as sensory experiences that occur in the absence of sensory stimulation” (Janine T. Ogden, p. 859). Many people experience hallucinations without even realizing it. For example, a very common auditory hallucination is tinnitus, described by Dictionary.com as “a ringing or similar sensation of sound in the ears.” I’m sure a lot of people might pass off common hallucinations like this as just not getting enough sleep, but is that really the case?
From VerywellHealth.com, “70% of people will experience a type of hallucination known as a hypnagogic hallucination, in which they will see, feel, or hear something that is not real just as they are falling asleep” (Brandon Peters). Due to these extremely common effects, it is all but a fact that not getting enough sleep, or not even sleeping at all, might lead to these hallucinations occurring during the day. According to the National Library of Medicine, “studies in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show that sleep problems are among the most prominent correlates of positive symptoms—such as auditory hallucinations and delusions—and illness severity. Studies also show that many psychotic episodes are preceded, if not precipitated, by prolonged insomnia” (Flavie Waters, Vivian Chiu, Amanda Atkinson, and Jan Dirk Blom).
Prevention
Now, that may sound scary. After all, finding out that one all-nighter for “one more game” can cause you to see, hear, and even feel things that aren’t really there is quite a shock. However, there are ways to prevent the possibility of having these insomnia-induced hallucinations. For one, the obvious answer is to just get some sleep. On paper, that seems easy. Just hop in bed, fall asleep, and wake up eight hours later. But how long should you realistically sleep? After all, when I sleep too little, I have a headache, but when I sleep too much, I feel groggy. How do we find that middle ground between the two extremes?
One way to make sure you don’t feel awful after waking up is to keep a consistent bedtime and create a calming environment to fall asleep in. Another way you might find relief is by reducing screen usage before bed. Unfortunately, studies at SutterHealth.org show that “two or more hours of screen time in the evening can seriously disrupt the melatonin surge needed to fall asleep” (Joanna A. Cooper).
Looking Ahead
It seems that our messed-up sleep schedules might be affecting our senses. Hallucinations can often be described as scary, unnerving, and sometimes euphoric. Luckily, as long as you’re careful with how you fall asleep, you might be able to avoid them entirely. I know that it might be hard to break those habits of watching three hundred reels before bed, but we can all agree that it’s for the better.
