Verywell / Jessica Olah

What Are Auditory Hallucinations?

Auditory hallucinations involve hearing noises that have no physical source.

This may involve hearing a voice speak to you and could be positive, negative, or neutral.

Reasons You Might Hear Voices at Night

Verywell / Jessica Olah

While some people hear voices that direct them to do something, that is not the experience for everyone.

Auditory hallucinations can also involve experiencing a distorted sound.

Sounds can be anything from footsteps tomusicor tapping.

You might also see strange things or misinterpret things you’re able to see.

These experiences usually stop as soon as you are fully awake.

Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysisis a temporary state that occurs in periods between sleep and wakefulness.

During sleep paralysis, a person suddenly emerges from sleep and is conscious but unable to move or speak.

Sleep paralysis commonly occurs during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep.

If you awake suddenly during REM, you may regain awareness while your muscles still feel paralyzed.

Hallucinations commonly occur during sleep paralysis, almost as if you are dreaming while awake.

The hallucinations may be auditory.

Some people have reported sensations of flying, being choked, or of a disturbing presence in the room.

Episodes may last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Illnesses that might cause hallucinations include achest infectionandurinary tract infection.

These include hearing:

Why Do I Hear Voices?

There are many reasons that you might hear voices.

In general, its likely that your doctor will recommend a multidisciplinary approach, meaning a combination of treatments.

These can help to decrease anxiety and stress, and will support you through your recovery.

Summary

Hearing voices at night is not uncommon.

Frequently Asked Questions

No.

They can determine the cause of the hallucinations and help you get effective treatment.

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Harvard Health Publishing.Sleep paralysis: Causes, symptoms, and treatments.

National Health Service.Hallucinations and hearing voices.

Traynor RM.Heard but not seen: tinnitus and auditory hallucinations.The ASHA Leader.

doi:10.1044/leader.AEA.23122018.20

Mental Health Foundation.Hearing voices.