Is this HI?

Hello, all. I’m a little confused about if something I regularly experience is hypnagogic imagery or not. Many nights (especially if I’m tired but take a while to fall asleep) I find myself in a flow of random thoughts before I drift off into sleep. I’m dimly aware of people saying random sentences to me, of meaningless shapes, of movement–things that aren’t logically connected to each other or to me. I’m usually aware that these aren’t real, but I can’t really stop them even if I try. They’re not terribly vivid, and I don’t experience sleep paralysis during this time. Would this still fall under the category of HI?

During this period last night, I actually jolted myself out of this state twice by physically reacting to something someone “said.” I remember that one of the times, someone I know asked me “Are you all right?” I nodded my head rather forcefully in real life and became much more awake. I hate this because it often happens right as I feel like I’m about to either go into true HI or fall asleep. :sad:

So, is this really HI? Thanks a bunch in advance! :smile:

im pretty sure that is exactly hi.

thats what happens to me before im actually asleep just a random flow of images/scenes/conversations. whenever i jolt out of one of them like you mention, i always know im going to be asleep soon.

normally it takes me 1hr+ after lying down to finally get to sleep so when the HI starts rolling in, im grateful for it and i know ill be asleep and dreaming soon enough.

Yes.

All right. Good to know. Anyone else have a different opinion?

LucidTheClown, I feel the same way when these images start appearing my imagination. There’s a real sense of relief that I know I’m beginning to transition from awake to asleep.

What gets me about these images is the fact that I’m very aware that they’re not real while they happen. I can move around in bed, etc., and they’re still there, but I know they’re all imagined–there is no suspension of disbelief like there is in an ND. This is still hypnagogic imagery, though? Cool…next time it happens, I’ll try to really get into it and follow the thoughts wherever they lead me. Maybe WILD would be successful for me, after all…

I think this falls under the category of HI. And you don’t experience sleep paralysis when you have hypnagogic hallucinations.

THAT IS SO FUNNY! That happens to me all the time! Someone’ll tell me a “funny joke” (though I don’t think it really is a joke :content: ) and I’ll silently laugh–like a whisper kind of a laugh…that is too funny…I thought I was maybe the only person that happened to!

LDGirl

"I’ll silently laugh–like a whisper kind of a laugh…that is too funny…I thought I was maybe the only person that happened to! "

I do it too, a lot… Im not sure if anyone even notices :razz: