Vivid pictures and sounds as you are falling asleep?

I came here to ask a question of a larger group of people. I have asked this of my family and friends, and nobody seems to experience the same vividness that I do.

As I am falling asleep, a lot of the times, I will see random images, still or animated. They are VERY vivid as though I am there. I can't seem to interact with them, but I can somewhat control the direction that they take, as they change as I am lying there. I can clearly look around and see every detail in the area.

About a week ago, I experienced a new type of this .. as I was falling asleep I heard some orchestra music playing. I could hear different instruments, it sounded as though it were right in my bedroom. I heard it for about a minute (guessing) before it woke me up enough to check if the alarm clock radio had gone off or anything.

Has anybody experienced anything like this before? To be clear, I am not asleep and dreaming as I can think at the same time. I often see these pictures when my mind is most active thinking of a programming problem i've encountered or something similar.

That's probably Hypnagogic hallucinations, try reading this:

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...agogic+imagery

especially the highlighted parts.

PS: Credit to Thor

This is called hypnogognia. Google it for more info. It's also one of the most fasinating states of mind to be in without the use of substance abuse.

Wow, thanks. What is listed there is totally correct. The visual 'HH' that I have are usually landscapes and faces/people. I do not recall geometric shapes.

It sounds like ive had 1 auditory HH but different than the typical ones.

Corpse is totally correct .. it is a really fascinating state of mind. I've never done drugs to hallucinate, so this form of it is really great!

I always hear voices and other random sounds when I'm falling asleep, as if I'm hearing the sound in my brain, not in the room, but also not like an internal monologue. I rarely see things, however.

its hypnogogic....just watch out for the jerk...it will wake you right back up