7 Spooky Things That Are Way Scarier at Night

Nightmares

There's a reason we dread having bad dreams or nightmares - they can be absolutely terrifying! These vivid and disturbing nocturnal experiences tend to occur during REM sleep, when our brains are very active but our bodies are paralyzed. Everything seems frighteningly real, from being chased by monsters to falling from great heights. Nightmares commonly wake us up in a panicked state, heart pounding and breathing heavily, and can leave us too afraid to go back to sleep. Although virtually everyone has upsetting dreams from time to time, frequent nightmares can become a chronic problem that leads to sleep deprivation and anxiety.

Night Terrors

Even more alarming are night terrors, characterized by sudden feelings of panic and dread. These are not dreams but abrupt awakenings from non-REM sleep, often with screaming, thrashing, sweating, and racing heartbeat. The person experiencing a night terror is unresponsive and confused, unable to recognize others, and has no memory of the incident in the morning. Although most prevalent in young children, night terrors can strike adults as well. Thankfully, they are usually brief episodes but leave sufferers exhausted and fearful of falling back asleep.

Sleep Disorders

Many nocturnal sleep disorders can make the darkness a lonely, anxiety-ridden time. Those who struggle with insomnia dread bedtime because they know they will lie awake, tossing and turning, wired and unable to relax into slumber. Sleep apnea causes people to repeatedly wake up gasping for breath due to airway obstructions. Narcolepsy unexpectedly strikes with overwhelming drowsiness followed by sudden sleep attacks, even at inappropriate or dangerous times. And sleepwalkers may find themselves up and about - sometimes outside of the home in hazardous locations - with no waking memory of it. Nights can feel like a battleground between the mind and body.

Night Eating Syndrome

Another unusual sleep disorder that surfaces during the witching hours is night eating syndrome. This involves waking up several times a night to eat, consuming more than 25% of total daily calories after dinner. Those with this condition feel compelled to snack while in a sleepy, out-of-it state, and have no sense of being full or satisfied after bingeing. When they awake in the morning, there is often guilt or anxiety around the excessive nighttime munching. Night eating syndrome is distressing both physically and psychologically.

Paranormal Phenomena

Many people believe that spirits, ghosts, demons, and other paranormal entities come alive at night when humans are asleep and most vulnerable. Strange noises, flickering lights, dark shadowy shapes - all can seem downright evil and otherworldly when exhaustion, imagination, and fear combine under the cloak of night. Those who are superstitious or prone to magical thinking may spend wakeful hours dreading a visit from the undead or feeling an unseen presence in the room. And aficionados of paranormal investigation shows like to huddle under the covers speculating about what lies beyond the physical realm.

UFOs and Alien Abductions

One of the most common supernatural night fears is alien abduction, thanks to movies and TV shows depicting extraterrestrials that probe, experiment on, and violate innocent humans under the cover of darkness (looking at you, X-Files). Those who believe they have been abducted by ETs describe being awakened by bright lights, floating sensations, and vivid dreams before finding themselves on a spaceship surrounded by strange beings. Medical testing, forced procedures, and missing time are also frequently reported. But sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations could possibly explain "close encounters" that seem indelibly real to experiencers.

Home Invasions and Intruders

Many of our security fears are amplified at bedtime. We might constantly check that doors and windows are locked, turn on every available light downstairs before coming up, or carefully scope out any noise in the night. The sound of glass shattering or a floorboard creaking can set hearts racing. Those who rely on alarm systems, guard dogs, or Second Amendment solutions can still feel vulnerable in the dark, defenseless against potential intruders who might overpower them. And being alone in the house - especially for women living by themselves - can exacerbate anxieties about unwanted midnight visitors.

While Home Alone

People who are away from home but still secluded - say in a hotel, rental cabin, or camping in the wilderness - have additional security concerns. What if someone tries to break in while they are sleeping in an unfamiliar place? Who will hear their cries for help? Plus, with no intimate knowledge of exits, alarms, hiding spots, or safe places to flee, being in a strange residence can intensify the fear of invasion to heart-stopping levels.

Monsters and Unexplained Phenomena

From a young age, many of us are exposed to frightening bedtime stories, myths, and folklore involving creatures of the night. vampires, werewolves, witches on broomsticks, hook-handed killers, the bogeyman - these dark entities have starred in so many tales meant to keep misbehaving children in line by summoning their fears of the unknown terrors lurking beyond the bedroom door. While we may grow up and scoff at such silly superstitions, residual unease remains when unexplained bumps, creaks, and shadows pierce the nighttime quiet.

Nyctophobic Thoughts

Our overactive minds can also conjure up more adult-oriented, visceral night frights. Sinister thoughts might revolve around realistic horrors like being attacked by a serial killer during a home invasion, falling prey to a satanic cult, or encountering demonic possession. We may envision memorable movie villains coming to life - Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Pennywise the Clown - thanks to our brains processing the same stimulus as during REM dreaming. And those who have phobias of choking, drowning, or suffocating might tense up imagining silent predators creeping toward their vulnerable sleeping form.

Darkness Itself

Sometimes the night itself is what scares us most. An enveloping shroud of blackness, feels oppressive, isolating, filled with unknown dangers. Shapes, sounds, and textures become strange and unfamiliar. Nyctophobic individuals experience full-blown panic and anxiety in the dark, needing night lights on at all times. But even those without a clinical phobia can share a primal ancestral fear of what ancient humans faced in the wilderness after sunset - predators, the elements, and evil spirits. Only the modern comforts of electricity, technology, and years of safe bedtimes keep most of us from totally freaking out once the lights go off.

Sleep Paralysis

A related terrifying phenomenon is sleep paralysis, the feeling of being awake but unable to move. Sufferers remain aware but find themselves temporarily paralyzed, frozen in a transitional state between sleep and wakefulness. Not only is it physiologically scary to be immobilized, but visions and sounds often accompany the paralysis. The person may hallucinate a sinister presence in the room, indistinct whispering voices, crushing chest pains, or a sense of impending doom. This waking nightmare usually only lasts a few seconds or minutes but can feel like an eternity. Sleep paralysis might explain accounts of paranormal activity, demon encounters, and alien abductions throughout history.

So while daylight exposure to heights, snakes, spiders, sharks, and public

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.