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Related Concept Videos

Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking01:17

Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking, involves individuals engaging in activities ranging from simple walking to more complex behaviors such as driving. Sleepwalking typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stages 3 and 4 early in the night when the person is not dreaming, contradicting the myth that sleepwalkers are acting out their dreams.
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...
Narcolepsy01:07

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.
Hallucinogens and Psychedelics01:27

Hallucinogens and Psychedelics

Hallucinogens are psychoactive substances that profoundly alter perceptual experiences, generating unreal visual and sensory images. Often referred to as psychedelic drugs — a term derived from the Greek words "psyche" (mind) and "delos" (revealing) — these substances include marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), among others. These drugs vary in intensity and effects.
Marijuana, derived from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)...
Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions01:26

Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions

Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by a range of symptoms that significantly impact cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation. Among these, the positive symptoms stand out as they involve the addition or exaggeration of normal mental functions, deviating markedly from typical behavior and perception. Hallucinations and delusions are prominent positive symptoms, each profoundly affecting the individual's experience of reality.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions01:30

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions

Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder that can manifest with various positive symptoms, including thought, movement, and behavior disorders. These symptoms significantly disrupt cognitive and motor functions, leading to profound effects on an individual's ability to engage with the world.
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Multifactorial Influences, Including Comorbidities, Contributing to Sleep Disturbance in Children with a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
10:56

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Published on: August 2, 2017

Sleep paralysis and hallucinosis.

Gregory Stores1

  • 1University Section, Park Hospital for Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7HU, UK. Tel.: +44 1865 226515; Fax: +44 1865 762358.

Behavioural Neurology
|September 25, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Sleep paralysis can cause frightening hallucinations and a sense of presence, mimicking psychosis. This condition, often overlooked, can be diagnosed and treated effectively.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Sleep paralysis, a condition involving visual hallucinations, is often under-recognized.
  • It can present with dramatic symptoms resembling psychosis, leading to diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the diagnostic complexities of sleep paralysis.
  • To illustrate how sleep paralysis can be mistaken for other psychiatric or sleep disorders.

Main Methods:

  • A case study of a young man with bipolar disorder experiencing sleep onset hallucinations.
  • Review of differential diagnoses including nightmares, night terrors, other sleep disorders, and physical conditions.

Main Results:

  • The patient experienced terrifying visual, auditory, and somatic hallucinations with a sense of evil presence.

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  • Despite a history of bipolar disorder, episodes were not clearly linked to his psychiatric condition.
  • A diagnosis of predormital isolated sleep paralysis was established.

    • Conclusions:

    • Sleep paralysis can manifest with severe auxiliary symptoms that suggest a psychotic state.
    • Less common forms include narcolepsy-associated or familial sleep paralysis.
    • Sleep paralysis, particularly breathing difficulties, is a recurring theme in global folklore.