# Seeing weird noise in night **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691 "2016-12-27T06:22:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheTyopian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@TheTyopian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTyopian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/1 "2016-12-27T06:22:41Z")
Hi guys, recently I have just discovered weird thing. It is, that when I woke up in the middle of a night, I saw a little bit of like noise with my eyes, I cant properly explain how it looked, so I am posting a picture as an example: [https://s29.postimg.org/smn0kuc3r/illusion\_wallpaper\_1\_1.jpg](https://s29.postimg.org/smn0kuc3r/illusion_wallpaper_1_1.jpg) (Its the link for the picture, for some reason, there is no option for direct image embeding. You can safely browse this link.) So, I did not literally see this, but just a little bit of it. Do you guys have any idea what it could be, or be caused by? I would be happy in advance for any helpful further responses. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/2 "2016-12-27T06:27:22Z")
[Synesthesia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia) maybe? ---
**Author:** ![TheTyopian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@TheTyopian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTyopian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/3 "2016-12-27T06:52:04Z")
I am not (hopefully) suffering by any disorder. It was just that one moment when I experienced such a thing, so I would just like to know some opinions on this specific particular occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/4 "2016-12-27T07:20:01Z")
Possibly some form of [phosphene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphene). I get patterns similar to that when I rub my eyes, though they can come about by other causes, including a lack of external stimulation. I suppose you might see these patterns if it is very dark in your room and there are no visual references. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/5 "2016-12-27T07:28:11Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I suppose you might see these patterns if it is very dark in your room and there are no visual references. I do. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/6 "2016-12-27T14:27:57Z")
[Hypnopompic hallucination](http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/05/18/hypnopompic-hallucinations-causes-types-treatment/)? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/7 "2016-12-27T15:20:38Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > [Hypnopompic hallucination](http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/05/18/hypnopompic-hallucinations-causes-types-treatment/)? Exactly what I was about to suggest. I suffered from this sleep disorder when I was younger and saw just this type of hallucination, although not in color. More usually though it was simpler geometric shapes flashing on and off accompanied by noises. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/8 "2016-12-27T15:36:24Z")
Optical migraine. You may have very little, if any, headache pain, but these visual disturbances are common. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/9 "2016-12-27T15:37:29Z")
Looking at that picture gave me an optic migraine. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/10 "2016-12-27T16:57:53Z")
Optical migraines tend to begin extremely small and gradually expand to fill the field of vision … then continue to expand until they’re no longer visible. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/11 "2016-12-27T17:02:57Z")
Drug interactions can cause this (called hallucinations). Note Over-The-Counter cold medicines or other drugs can interact with prescription drugs to cause this. Read ALL labels. Tell your pharmacist about all the drugs you are taking (including illegal and alcohol) - ask if any of those can interact like this. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/12 "2016-12-27T17:30:51Z")
I once fell asleep with one eye resting on my hand, putting pressure on the eye. I woke up in the night to use the bathroom, and every object was surrounded by a shimmering colorful halo – very pretty, but it freaked me out. I quickly returned to bed and closed my eyes. In the morning, the optic weirdness was gone. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/13 "2016-12-27T22:05:10Z")
The human brain can come up with all kinds of unusual sensations - esp. ones near or during sleep (which is still not understood, IMO). You can either freak out or relax and enjoy the experiences. The “real world” will intervene soon enough… ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-weird-noise-in-night/775691/14 "2016-12-28T04:15:59Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Optical migraine. You may have very little, if any, headache pain, but these visual disturbances are common. I have visual migraines, which I assume are the same as optic migraines, also called migraine without headache. The image for that looks more like this: [![](https://barelyworththeheadache.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/800px-migraine_aura.jpg) ](https://barelyworththeheadache.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/800px-migraine_aura.jpg) It’s called [scintillating scotoma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma). All links are safe for work. Based on the description that the OP said he didn’t see all the image, scintillating scotoma might be a good match. They’re by and large harmless. I’ve had them since the 70s