Why might I experience hallucinations when waking up?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Hallucinations when waking up are often caused by hypnopompic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, or out-of-body experiences that occur during transitions between sleep and wakefulness. These vivid sensory experiences—visual, auditory, or tactile—happen when the brain remains partially in REM sleep while the body wakes up. While usually harmless, frequent episodes can signal underlying sleep disorders, stress, or other health conditions worth investigating.

Because waking hallucinations can stem from many different causes—ranging from simple sleep disruption to conditions like narcolepsy or anxiety disorders—understanding your specific symptoms is key to finding relief. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to get personalized insights into what may be causing your experiences and clear guidance on your next steps.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/14/2026

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Explanation

When you wake up and experience hallucinations, it could be linked to sleep paralysis or out-of-body experiences. Sleep paralysis happens when you wake up but your body can't move, and you might see or hear things that aren't there. This is often related to the transition between sleep and wakefulness.

Sleep Paralysis: This is a state where you feel awake but cannot move your body. During this time, some people might see or hear things that aren't real, which are called hallucinations.
Out-of-Body Experiences: Sometimes, when you are in a state of sleep, you might feel like you are outside your body, this is often associated with sleep paralysis. This can also lead to seeing or hearing things that aren't there.

If these experiences are concerning or frequent, it might be helpful to talk to a healthcare provider. You can also get personalized insights about your symptoms by taking this free AI symptom checker assessment.

(References)

McNally RJ, & Clancy SA. (2005). Sleep paralysis, sexual abuse, and space alien abduction. Transcultural psychiatry, 15881271.
Herrero NL, Gallo FT, Gasca-Rolín M, Gleiser PM, & Forcato C. (2023). Spontaneous and induced out-of-body experiences during .... Journal of sleep research, 36053735.
Bogan R, Thorpy MJ, Berkowitz S, & Gudeman J. (2025). How once-nightly sodium oxybate is processed in the body .... Journal of comparative effectiveness research, 40151979.

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