What is it called when you feel something that's not there?

Question

and why does it happen? Once I was getting up late at night and I felt something grab my leg when there was nothing there. It kind of freaked me out. It doesn't really scare me anymore because I know there was nothing there, but I'm kind of curious.

Answer 1

maybe your leg had fallen asleep. in the morning my arm is numb and it feels like something is constricting me. iy could be the sheets graaping your feet or furniture around. it could just be ur imagination.

Answer 2

u were probably dilirious from still being half asleep

Answer 3

You may have been in a half-dreaming state.  Your brain goes through a change when you are asleep, and it produces a different type of brainwaves.  When you are asleep, a different part of your brain is at work.  As a result, your perceptions can be different than when you are awake.

Answer 4

It's called a "tactile hallucination" (feeling something that isn't really there). It can happen as the result of mental illness, using certain drugs and brain tumors can also cause them at times. However, what you describe is probably nothing more than your mind playing tricks on you. I often think i see or feel things that aren't really there, but then realise it was just my imagination.

Unless you are mentally ill or using drugs, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Answer 5

Phantom somethingerather

Answer 6

maby ur just exaggerating  

Answer 7

It takes a little while for your brain to fully function when you wake up. Maybe it was your imagination?

Answer 8

OMG i had something like that happen to me a few years ago, i woke up and a huge spider was on me. i knocked him off and he crawled under my nightstand. i got my dad to come in there and kill it. and we moved the night stand and everything but it just dissapeared!!! oooh strange O.o