Dreams?Voices?Scorsese?Nolan? Does this ring a bell? From timeless classics to foreboding health issues, these have been a part of our timeline since time immemorial. Had John Nash not been a victim of these, game theory would never be possible today. So these actually are deep-seated in our minds, which inevitably are ingrained in our psychological setup.
Is it Normal to Hear Voices at Night?
Hearing voices at night can often be referred to as Auditory Hallucination. Individuals can hear sounds like whispers, vivid conversation or even music. This might happen when our mind is in a transition period between sleep and wakefulness. These can be a result of some psychiatric conditions or can also arise from common psychological or physiological causes. Healthy individuals can also hear these voices due to a variety of psychological, neurological and environmental factors.
What are The Reasons behind Hearing Voices at Night?
There is more than one reason for hearing voices at night. It can be sleep-related issues or a result of stress and anxiety, or side effects of some substances. Other than these, there are multiple other reasons for this condition. Let’s try to understand these reasons in brief:
1. Sleep-Related Hallucinations
1. Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic States: Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic hallucinations are very common. Hypnagogic hallucination occurs when an individual is falling asleep, and Hypnopompic hallucination happens when a person is waking up. Usually, these are harmless. The reason behind these states is the transitioning period of the brain between sleep and waking up.
2. Sleep Deprivation: Other than Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic states, sleep deprivation can be another cause of sleep-related hallucination. Lack of sleep can damage the cognitive processing of humans, and it may also increase the vulnerability to hallucinations. In this case, the brain fails to produce the intended results, and that’s why it interprets the internal thoughts and ambient sounds as external voices.
Remedies for Sleep-Related Hallucinations:
Maintaining a consistent 7-9 hours consistent sleep at night can help to get rid of these voices. Also, creating a calming bedtime routine is important. Avoiding screens and bright lights before bed can help to get a good sleep. Avoid alcohol and reduce caffeine, especially in the evening. Relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing also help with sleep. Lastly, for underlying sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea, go for professional help.
Read More: How do we Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene?
2. Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Overload
High emotional stress can be a reason for intensified sensory perception. As a result, it may misinterpret internal dialogue and intrusive thoughts and make them seem like external voices. Also, anxiety might be the reason for the hyperalertness of the brain at night. It increases the susceptibility to auditory distortions.
Remedies for Stress, Anxiety and Emotional Overload:
- Engaging in regular physical activity (like yoga or walking) can help in this case.
- Journaling and seeking gratitude a very good options for processing emotions.
- Practising mindfulness and guided meditation helps to reduce anxiety and stress-related issues.
- Also, seeking therapy is one of the best options for treating anxiety-related disorders.
Read More: Mindfulness Meditation has a Positive Effect on Mental Health
3. Medication and Substance Use
As a side effect of some medications (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedatives), auditory hallucination may occur. Also, recreational drugs ( e.g., LSD or methamphetamine) produce vivid auditory experiences. If substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, or opioids could be withdrawn, it might trigger temporary hallucinations.
Remedies for medication and substance use:
Medication can never be stopped abruptly without medical guidance. So, the individual can consult a doctor for adjusting the dosage or switching the medicine. For substance withdrawal, a person can seek medical support. Joining a support group and an addiction recovery programme can also help to recover them mentally. Lastly, using prescribed medication from a professional eases withdrawal symptoms.
4. Mental Health Disorders
- Schizophrenia: In schizophrenia, auditory hallucinations can occur at any time. The voices in these cases often involve comment, command and converse.
- Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar disorder is also associated with auditory hallucinations. During manic and depressive episodes, voices reflecting their emotional state might be heard by individuals.
- PTSD and Trauma: In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma, voices can be related to traumatic memories. In these cases, voices often emerge in quiet, vulnerable nighttime settings.
Remedies for mental health disorders:
For mental health disorders, the individuals have to follow certain treatment plans, including medication and therapy (e.g., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT and trauma-focused therapy). A support system of trusted friends, family, and peer groups can also help at this time. Avoiding triggers like stress, substance use, and sleep disruption is helpful.
5. Neurological and Medical Conditions
Auditory processing can be affected by temporal lobe epilepsy, brain tumours, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. As a result, conditions like hallucinations and other cognitive and physical symptoms such as confusion, memory loss and motor issues may occur.
Remedies for neurological and medical conditions:
Following prescribed treatments and attending regular check-ups are most important.
It is also needed to seek neurological evaluation and imaging if symptoms persist.
For dementia related symptoms, cognitive rehabilitation or occupational therapy is helpful.
6. Loneliness, Isolation, and Sensory Deprivation
- Loneliness and Isolation: When an individual faces a lack of social interaction, his or her brain tries to simulate voices as a form of mental compensation. These voices worked as a coping mechanism for social engagement. This is common among individuals who experience solitude or emotional neglect.
- Sensory Deprivation: When the environment is extremely quiet, the brain may increase internal sounds and thoughts as if they were external voices.
Remedies for loneliness, isolation and sensory deprivation:
Engaging in community activities or in volunteer work can help to get out of this situation. Contacting friends and family regularly can also be important, especially when one feels lonely. If needed, group therapy and social skills are also good options.
7. Personality and Cognitive Traits
People who have a high capacity for imagination or those who are really very creative may be more inclined to hear voices. Also, individuals who tend towards rumination or internal dialogue might misinterpret their own thoughts as external voices.
Read More: Human Psychology Theories on Personality Development
Remedies for personality and cognitive traits:
- People who are highly creative and imaginative can channel their imagination into some creative outlet, such as writing and art.
- Practising grounding techniques may help them to stay connected to reality.
- For managing rumination, they can use thought-stopping strategies.
General Tips for Managing Nighttime Voices
Hearing voices at night cannot be pleasing for anyone. Everyone wants to avoid these strange experiences. These are some common tips that help us manage our unwanted nighttime voices:
- Keeping a sleep journal can help track patterns and triggers.
- Calming music is helpful to cover intrusive sounds.
- Overstimulation of news, social media and intense conversation before bed must be avoided.
- If voices are distressing, persistent, or interfere with your daily life, try to seek professional help.
Conclusion
Hearing voices at night is a complex phenomenon that has many psychological roots. It arises at sleep transitions between sleep and waking up due to many reasons. It can be experienced by a healthy individual or can be a symptom of mental illness. That’s why understanding the underlying causes behind this with compassion and clarity is very important.
References +
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Coping with stress. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, October 3). Auditory hallucinations: What they are, causes & treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/22554-auditory-hallucinations
Healthline. (2023, August 28). Hearing voices at night: Causes and treatment. https://www.healthline.com/health/hearing-voices-at-night
Mayo Clinic. (2022, December 13). Sleep deprivation: Symptoms, causes, and treatment. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379
Medical News Today. (2023, October 4). What causes auditory hallucinations? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/auditory-hallucinations
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (n.d.). Understanding psychosis. https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Psychosis
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2023). Common comorbidities with substance use disorders. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/comorbidity
WebMD. (n.d.). Why am I hearing voices? https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/why-am-i-hearing-voices
