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Hypnagogic states are quite common: Self-reported prevalence, modalities, and gender differences
Romain Ghibellini1, Beat Meier1
1Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Consciousness and Cognition
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Hypnagogic states, the vivid experiences between wakefulness and sleep, are common, affecting over 80% of people. These sleep transition phenomena share emotional qualities and vividness with dreams but have distinct sensory profiles.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
Background:
- The hypnagogic state is a transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep.
- Vivid experiences, including hallucinations, can occur during this state.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of hypnagogic states.
- To examine the characteristics of hypnagogic experiences, including sensory modalities, emotional quality, and vividness.
- To compare hypnagogic states with dreams, sleep paralysis, imagination, and extra-sensory perception.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire study was conducted.
- 4456 participants self-reported the frequency of hypnagogic experiences across different modalities.
- Emotional quality and vividness were also assessed.
Main Results:
- Hypnagogic states were reported by 80.2% of participants, with higher prevalence in women.
- Kinaesthetic and visual modalities were most common.
- Hypnagogic states were less prevalent than dreams but similar in emotional quality and vividness.
Conclusions:
- Hypnagogic states are a common phenomenon.
- They exhibit unique sensory profiles compared to dreams but share similar subjective qualities.
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