Hallucinations when I sleep every night

[AoifeSittle]

Hello,

My name is Aofie and I'm 21. Every night for the past few years, I will be in a state where I am asleep but I remember everything I am doing. I have a history of sleepwalking and being very talkative and physical when asleep since I was very young, but this is different. Now, every night for the past few years, I will see someone or lots of people in my room or on the roof outside my room. I am fully aware of what is happening and I know they can't be in my room, but the people I see are always connected to my dream. They're always in the same position they were in when I was dreaming merely seconds before, it's like my mind is still dreaming but my eyes are open and seeing it. Every time I will turn on the light to confront them but whenever I do they disappear. Sometimes I'll be halfway through having a nightmare and I get so scared I throw myself out of bed and end up downstairs, at the foot of the stairs, then my brain will catch up with my body and realise I was dreaming and I'll consciously go back to bed.

It's getting to the point where it is disturbing my sleep, but I don't want to go and see my doctor over something so silly as dreaming... I see everything so vividly until I make the conscious effort to turn the light on, then everything is gone and I go back to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. It lasts up until I turn the light on, always people from my dream or something from my dream... I've even packed a bag to leave my house and gone downstairs to put my shoes on before someone else in the house turned the light on thinking I was a burglar and I came to my senses!

Anyone experienced this or have any idea what it is?

[SleepHelp70581]

I am a medical assistant and work in sleep medicine. You  need to speak with your physician and get referred for a sleep consult and ultimately a sleep study. This is not silly at all. Sleep is extremely important, and the lack of it can cause chaos in the way your body functions and heals itself. Untreated sleep disorders can lead to an endless list of health issues. Your symptoms may be due to a variety of conditions; however, considering both your terrors and history of sleep walking, you most likely have something called REM behaviour disorder. Narcolepsy is a possibility as well. Regardless, it is important to determine what your dealing with so that it can stop disrupting your life and, ultimately, your health and well being. Best of luck.

[emilybrooke28]

Hi Aoife,

I saw your post about getting Hallucinations when your asleep. Firstly I'm so sorry!! I've had the same kind of vivid dream about intruders (it's called hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations) and I know they can we terrifying! I have a disorder called narcolepsy (its a neurological autoimmune disease but its also a sleep disorder) and this is one of the symptoms.
This doesn't necessarily you have narcolepsy but its worth seeing a doctor about and maybe have a nose around on google about it.
Either way the quality of your sleep can't be good and that can a bad effect on the way you function during the day. Don't worry it's defiantly not silly!!

Hope things work out with this (I know it can be really difficult to get an explanation but talk to a doctor anyway!)

This is a link about it:
http://www.wakeupnarcolepsy.org/just-daydream-hypnagogia-hypnopompia/