Episode Summary: "Bumps In The Night"

Podcast: Sightings (REVERB | QCODE)
Episode Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: McLeod Andrews & Brian Sigley

Overview

This haunting episode of Sightings delves into the terrifying phenomenon of sleep paralysis and the global folklore surrounding "sleep entities," focusing specifically on the ominous figure known as the "Hat Man." Inspired by real accounts and internet lore, the show blends a chilling dramatized story with a thoughtful, research-driven discussion on the intersection of supernatural myth and neurological reality. Prepare for an in-depth journey from folklore to the science of nightmares—and the unnerving question: Are the shadowy figures we see at night just our brains' creations, or something else entirely?

Key Episode Segments & Discussion Points

1. Dramatic Story: "Marcus and the Hat Man"

[04:31–27:22]

• Protagonist: Marcus, a recently single musician who just moved to the city, begins documenting his disturbing experiences via voice memos.
• Key Experiences:
  • Sleep Paralysis: Marcus wakes unable to move, feeling watched ([04:36]). He describes "an overwhelming feeling I was being watched...pressure in the air."

    “It wasn't just fear... it was like dread. Pure dread. Like it had been injected straight into my veins.” — Marcus ([06:05])

  • The Shuffling and the Shadow: Auditory and visual hallucinations escalate—shuffling noises, peripheral shadows, and eventually, a tall, impossibly dark figure appearing in his doorway and moving closer each night.
  • Physical Sensations: Marcus reports chest pressure, a humming sensation, smells of dust and decay, and a sense of suffocation, all classic symptoms of sleep paralysis with hallucinations.
  • Online Research & Paranoia: He discovers similar stories online—many referencing a "Hat Man" who wears a brimmed hat and sometimes appears with shadowy companions.

    “A number of people who encounter these things also recall the same kind of smell... like this dusty, sweaty odor.” — Brian Sigley ([33:10])

  • Descent into Panic: Exhaustion drives him to flee his apartment and attempt to livestream or record proof. The encounters culminate in a motel bathroom, with the entity attempting to break in.

    “My phone's at 4%... these walls must be concrete, or whatever's out there doesn't want me to call for help. That's crazy, isn't it? I sound crazy and I know it. Maybe I am crazy. I don't know. But I just need some help right now.” — Marcus ([25:24])

• Climactic Confrontation: Marcus prepares to open the door to capture footage:

  “I’m gonna open the door, I’m gonna point my camera at whatever’s out there, and then I’m just gonna run...” — Marcus ([26:39–27:18])

• Cliffhanger Ending: The whispers stop, Marcus opens the door, the entity is “right there, looking right at” him.

2. Discussion: Sleep Entities, Science, and Folklore

[28:36–44:17]

Personal Accounts

• McLeod: Recounts a single childhood episode of sleep paralysis without entity sighting.
• Brian: Describes once waking up and seeing a being at the foot of his bed, emphasizing the real fear and trauma such events can cause.

Origins and Science

• Historical Records:
  • Oldest written references: 10th-century Persia; "Incubus" in 1664 Holland ([31:19]).
  • "Maras" (Norse), "Jinn" (Middle Eastern), "Old Hag" (Newfoundland)—different cultures, same recurring themes.
• Scientific Explanation:
  • REM Sleep Paralysis: Body disables movement to prevent acting out dreams; the mind can wake before the body “unlocks” ([31:33]).
  • Hallucinations: Half-waking state may cause vivid sensory experiences, including the feeling of a malignant presence.

    “During that time, our body naturally paralyzes itself so that we don't act out what's happening in our dreams. But... people can wake up... their body just didn't get the memo...” — Brian ([31:32])

Universality and Cultural Projection

• The ubiquity of shadowy sleep entities across time and cultures prompts the question:

  “If it's so universal and multiple cultures have variations on this, it's possible that indicates it's just a natural, biological human phenomenon that gets described... through the lens of different cultures.” — McLeod ([36:21])

The "Hat Man" Phenomenon

• Modern Internet Lore:
  • Hat Man sightings skyrocketed in the 2000s, popularized by radio shows like Coast to Coast AM and the spread of personal accounts online ([34:50]).
  • Some analogues to older legends, such as the jinn which is “often described as wearing a hat.” ([35:10])
  • Possible influence of pop culture, especially the Nightmare on Elm Street series with its iconic Freddy Krueger character.

    “Honestly, I have to admit, I don't think I've ever seen any of these movies. But... one of the most distincting features of Freddy Krueger is the fedora that he wears. So the fedora is the Hat Man.” — Brian ([40:45])

The Mysterious Southeast Asian Syndrome

• 1980s: Over a hundred healthy Hmong men in the U.S. died in their sleep, with folklore attributing the deaths to an evil "night spirit." CDC found some had heart abnormalities, but no clear cause for the mass deaths ([37:32]).

  “Supernatural explanations aside, that's terrifying.” — McLeod ([38:31])

Open Questions and Community Engagement

• Are these shared hallucinations purely biological, or is there something more?

  “We have all these people... in various points in history who all kind of have the same basic story or experience. What do you make of that?” — Brian ([35:21])

• Listeners are encouraged to share their own "Bumps in the Night" stories via Instagram or Spotify comments.

3. Light-Hearted Finale: Halloween and Candy

[42:31–44:17]

• McLeod reflects on Halloween as a community holiday, emphasizing its unique role in bringing neighbors together.

  “Halloween is like the one holiday where you go out and you share with strangers, where you go and meet your neighbors and you experience generosity from all your neighbors.” — McLeod ([43:03])

• The hosts confess their love for Halloween candy, especially Reese’s ([43:34]).

• Next Episode Tease: The investigation will turn to a “small town in New York” for the ultimate Halloween story.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Nothing is scarier than waking up in the middle of the night unable to move and realizing you're not alone in your bedroom.”
  — Brian ([02:11])

• “That feeling, though, it wasn't just fear... this was like dread. Pure dread. Like it had been injected straight into my veins.”
  — Marcus ([06:05])

• “First night... the figure was at the foot of my bed... Second night, beside the bed... and tonight it was right next to me... and I felt this pressure on my chest, like real physical pressure...”
  — Marcus ([10:47])

• “The Hat Man himself is a pretty modern entity... kind of popped up in the 2000s... whether or not that's Internet lore, we might know. But... the Djinn... is often described as wearing a hat.”
  — Brian ([34:52–35:10])

• “If it’s so universal and multiple cultures have variations on this, it’s possible that indicates it’s just a natural, biological human phenomenon that gets described... through different cultural lenses.”
  — McLeod ([36:21])

• “But chew on this for a moment... in the 1980s... a bunch of healthy men who just started dying in their sleep... there was a disproportionate number of them that had some kind of syndrome that caused abnormal heart rhythms. But... no explanation for why dozens and dozens... were just dying at night... all she heard were stories about an entity... something called a dachau, which apparently in Hmong means night spirit.”
  — Brian ([37:31])

Tone & Delivery

• The episode deftly balances immersive, chilling storytelling (dramatized first-person account) with scientific context, folklore analysis, and good-natured hosts’ banter.
• While informative, the tone remains unsettling, reflective, and occasionally playful—especially in moments of comic relief and nostalgic talk about Halloween traditions.

Episode Takeaways

• Sleep paralysis is a widespread, well-documented neurophysiological phenomenon, but its overlap with vivid, consistent hallucinations and frightening folklore across cultures keeps it firmly in the realm of supernatural intrigue.
• The "Hat Man" is a particularly modern manifestation—possibly Internet-fueled, possibly evolving from far older archetypes.
• Whether understood scientifically or as a genuine encounter with darkness, the experience is terrifyingly real for those who suffer it.
• Audience engagement is encouraged: Do you have a sleep entity story? Share it with the hosts for possible discussion.

Next Week

Look forward to Sightings’ “ultimate Halloween episode”—a deep dive into the lore of a “small town in New York” with a mysterious and historic story, perfect for the season.