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Bumps In The Night

Sightings

Mon Oct 13 2025

Summary

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.

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Transcript

Brian Sigley (0:00)

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McLeod Andrews (0:26)

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Brian Sigley (0:29)

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McLeod Andrews (0:32)

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Brian Sigley (0:37)

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McLeod Andrews (0:57)

But in the woman in cabin 10.

Brian Sigley (0:58)

Lo Blacklock is determined to uncover the truth in the gripping new thriller coming to Netflix October 10th. Keira Knightley plays a journalist aboard a.

McLeod Andrews (1:06)

Luxury yacht who witnesses a crime she can't unsee.

Brian Sigley (1:10)

Adapted from Ruth Ware's best selling novel, directed by Simon Stone. Watch the woman in cabin 10 now only on Netflix.

McLeod Andrews (1:27)

When we close our eyes at night, we expect rest, safety, the comfort of slipping into dreams. But what happens when those dreams bleed into reality? What if in the vulnerable space between sleep and waking, something else is waiting? Something ancient, patient, and watching from the shadows right at the edge of your bed. Welcome to Sightings, the series that takes you inside the world's most mysterious supernatural events. Each episode brings you a thrilling story that puts you at the center of the action, followed by a discussion that dives into the accounts that inspired the story and our takes on them. I'm McLeod.

Brian Sigley (2:11)

And I'm Brian. And we are in the heart of spooky seasons. So I wanted to find one of the scariest stories I possibly could for this episode. And McLeod, what is scarier than waking up in the middle of the night unable to move and realizing you're not alone in your bedroom? Nothing. I'm out.

McLeod Andrews (4:34)

Okay, I've never used this voice memo app on my phone, but the little wavy forms are moving, so looks good. Cool. I feel like I'm doing like a dating profile. Hi, I'm Marcus. I'm 32, a musician, recently single, new to the city, poor as dirt. And yeah, I just sunk about everything I had into the deposit in first month's rent on this apartment. A real catch. I don't usually talk to my phone at. Oh gosh, what is it? 3:47am but something weird happened just now and I don't know if it's a medical thing or a sleep thing or a screwed up dream thing or what, but my buddy Jake said that he had some issues a while back kind of like this, and he kept voice memos to track patterns or to process or whatever. And yeah, I. I definitely need to process. So I Woke up maybe 10 minutes ago, just boom, wide awake. But the thing was, I couldn't move, like, at all. Not a finger, not a toe, Nothing except my eyes. And I'm lying there and my room has these big old windows and the moon's almost full, so I mean, I could see everything perfectly. But again, I couldn't move, which was weird. So as I'm lying there trying to will my body to do something, I got this. I don't know, I got this overwhelming feeling I was being watched. It's hard to describe, I guess you could say it was like this pressure in the air or something. But a definite feeling that I was very much not alone. And I mean, I tried to rationalize it. Maybe I was just dreaming or something. But then there was this sound and it. Well, it was this shuffling sound, almost soft, light fabric dragging on the floor, maybe like somebody in some bunny slippers creeping around my room. And my eyes were mo. They were still the only things that I could move. But I mean, there was nothing there. Nothing I could see anyway. But then. And this is where it all gets really messed up. I caught something in my peripheral vision. It was by the doorway to the bedroom. Like a super dark shadow, I think. But when I moved my eyes to look at it, there was just an empty door. Kind of like floaters in your eyes. You try and look at them, but they just keep dancing away as you try to catch them. That feeling, though, it wasn't just fear. I mean, I've been scared before, but this was like dread. Pure dread. Like it had been injected straight into my veins. And then all of a sudden, there it was. I could move again. I sat up gasping and I ran to the door. Checked the apartment. Nothing. Everything was locked. Everything was fine. But I still have that feeling. And yeah, I know it doesn't make any sense. Maybe it was just sleep paralysis. I've heard of that. I guess. Jake mentioned it once. He heard about it on some podcast. He said it's where your body's still in sleep mode, but your brain wakes up and you hallucinate. It's never happened to me before, but I guess there's a first time for everything. Hopefully the last. I don't know, maybe just stress from the move or sleeping alone after years with someone next to me. That's right, ladies. I'm a sad sack who just got dumped. I bet that's it. It's. Wait, there's something. There it is. That's shuffling. I don't know.

McLeod Andrews (8:39)

I didn't see anything. Just this whole building settling, I guess. I hope this is stupid. Just a one time thing. I just need to sleep, that's all. Okay, so it wasn't a one time thing. It's. Sorry. Just need to catch my breath. It's 4:17am A couple nights since my last voice memo. And it happened again tonight. Same thing. Woke up paralyzed with that same feeling of being watched. But this time, when I heard that shuffling and I heard it, I know I did try to really listen instead of. Look, it wasn't footsteps. It Wasn't. Mice were settling. Honestly, it was like I was like nothing I could possibly identify with something else. And I was lying there, trying to will my body to move again when I saw that same shadow out of the corner of my eye. But this time, this time when I looked to the doorway, there was something there. A figure. Tall. Standing right in my doorway. Like, had to be like 7ft tall, 8ft tall. I don't know. And it was dark. Not like shadows are dark. This was darker than that. Like the shape of a person made out of nothing. And even though I couldn't make anything out other than the just pure black, I knew it was watching me. Didn't see any eyes, but I just knew. I felt it watching me. And I tried to scream. I tried so hard to scream, to move, to do anything. But I had to just lay there while this thing stood there watching. And then it took one big step forward toward my bed. And then, thank the ever loving whatever, it just vanished. And like snapping out of a trance, I could suddenly move again. And I sat up so fast I almost fell out of bed. I've been trying to find a way to explain this. I know sleep paralysis can cause hallucinations. I looked it up. But who? Boy, this felt so real. And that thing, that shadow thing, it was so clear, like, so defined. Not like a dream at all. I've had dreams all my life. This was not that. I don't know, maybe I should just start sleeping with the lights on. Or maybe I should find somewhere else to stay. But I just moved here. I have no friends, no money. Holler at me, girls. Shit. Oh, I'm being ridiculous. There's nothing in my apartment. Or, shit, what if there is? What up? It's your boy Marcus. It's still happening. Three more nights now. Same thing every time I wake up. Paralyzed. But that figure. It's getting closer. First night after my last memo, I woke up and it was at the foot of my bed. Just standing there. That same crazy, impossible darkness. Same feeling of dread. The second night, it was beside the bed, halfway between the head and foot. And I could smell was something so strange, like dust or opening a room that's been closed for decades. And tonight it was right next to me. Like, right there. Right by my head, looming over me. And even though I was right next to it, I still couldn't make out any details at all. Not one. And then it leaned closer to me, like it was examining me or like it wanted to whisper something in my ear. And I felt this pressure on My chest, like real physical pressure, like something, it just sat on me. And I felt this weird, like, low frequency hum that rattled through me and made my teeth ache. And I just. I couldn't breathe. And I seriously thought I was going to die. And then just all of a sudden, it stopped. The thing vanished. I could move again, and I gasped for air like I'd been drowning. So, yeah, great. New life in the city. Oh. I set up my recording mics to see if I could catch any sounds in the night, but nothing. None of that shuffling that I hear or footsteps or anything. Just silence or, I mean, you know, normal city sounds. And then my panicked breathing. When I wake up, I know how this will sound to anybody who ever listens to this. Hopefully no one ever. But I found others online who have been experiencing something similar. Mostly Reddit people. But I mean it when I say their stories line up almost exactly with mine. Shadow figure getting closer. Except most of them say they can see the shape of a hat on the thing's head. I don't know, it's weirdly spooky. A hat. Such a weird detail. That must be why they all took to calling it the Hat Man. I don't. I don't think mine has a hat, though. I mean, I hope mine doesn't. I don't know why that makes it so much scarier, because, I mean, these people who have had these encounters, they start. They start off confused and scared, just like me, but then they get more desperate, fragmented, and then. And then they just stop posting. Like, like they vanished or died or. I don't know. Oh, what the hell? That sounded like it came from under my bed, but nope, I'm not looking. I'm not looking. I'm not freaking looking. I'm counting to three and then I'm running and I don't know if I'm ever coming back and I don't care. So. 1, 2, 3. Bye, limu emu and Doug. Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

McLeod Andrews (16:51)

Rules and restrictions apply. Testing, testing. One, two, three. Hello, ladies and gentlemen. It's 3:33am and I'm in my car, just sitting in the dark in some convenience store parking lot. And I. God, I don't even. I don't even know how many days it's been. Three, four times. All just mushed together, blurred, you know what I mean? Like when you've just been up for so dang, dang, dang, dang long. I've been awake this whole time. I think, oh, my eyes are burning and they're crusty and. Oh, right. What happened? I left the apartment that night last time I talked to this, my phone and you, whoever, and I just drove around the city until the sun came up. And then I drove some more and as the sun started going down again, I thought about a hotel, but I can't. I've got like $47 in my checking account until my next gig Friday, if I can even play. I mean, my hands keep shaking. So I went back to the apartment. I mean, and I went back because where else am I gonna go? But I didn't let myself sleep. So I've just been pounding coffee and energy drinks and I started watching Friends from the very, very beginning. And I'm on season eight now, so that' three days, right? Four. Yeah, four. Whoa. Point is, Rachel is pregnant now and everything else is blurring. But I was awake, dammit, I was awake. And I know I was awake because it happened again. And I wasn't even sleeping. I was on the couch, lights on, TV going. And I saw it. Movement in the kitchen, just this shape. My old friend standing there between the fridge and counter, standing there, watching me. And I tried to get up and run, but I couldn't move. I mean, I couldn't move even though I was awake. And. Yeah, so I guess this wasn't sleep paralysis because I was awake and Ross was saying something about dinosaurs and I knew I was there, but my body just stopped, like it had been switched off. And then the thing stepped out of the kitchen all slow and stuff. And this time with the lights on, I could see its outline better. Like the shape of it, you know? And there was definitely this ridge around the head, like. Like a brim. Yeah. A hat. He was wearing a hat. And it made it so much worse. I'm serious. Why the hat? Why does it make it so much worse? I've been awake too long and. Yeah, so this thing, he just kept moving until it was right next to the couch, right next to me. And I could smell that stupid same dust smell, but like, worse. Like rotten or old sweat, just gross, gross, gross. And then it reached out and its arm was so long, like impossible. And it pointed at me. And all that dread I've been feeling, that wasn't just a feeling anymore. It was like a message, like a warning. And even though it wasn't in words, I knew what it was saying. And it was saying, buddy, this is going to get worse. And then it was gone. And I could suddenly move again. And I ran. I ran right to my car. And I've been here since. Afraid to go back, afraid to even close my eyes. Because, you know, what if. I mean, what if it can find me? What if running doesn't matter? I. Oh, God. I just keep thinking about those Reddit posts. The people who just stopped posting, stopped everything. Maybe.

McLeod Andrews (22:01)

My phone's starting to run low on battery and I would go home and charge it, but I can't. And the dude in the convenience store doesn't have the right dongle or whatever to fit my phone, so. Well, I'm not going back. Maybe I'll just sleep in the car, just for a few hours, just until the sun comes up. Because I should not drive like this. Oh, my God. What if it doesn't matter? What if daylight doesn't mean anything to it? What if it's already too late? It's. God, I don't even know what time it is. I don't think it matters. My phone says 3:55am but time isn't. Whatever, it's not working right anymore. I'm in a motel bathroom. Starlight inn off Route 9 or 72. I don't know, I don't care. But, yeah, I caved. The room's $42 a night. Which means I have not a lot left. But after my last recording, I sat in the parking lot until security knocked on my window. And even though I know I was awake, I didn't see them coming. So I drove to another lot, then another. But the exhaustion, it was just. Let's just say I wasn't in tip top shape. So I came here, went to an atm, pulled it all, figuring a terrible motel bed was better than my car. So, so wrong. I must have passed out the second I hit the mattress. Slept for what, hours? It was light when I went down, but it's dark now, so of course I woke up to find it standing over me. Not across the room or at the foot of my bed, but right there. Right over me. Its face, or. I don't know, that void where a face should be, was literally inches from mine. It was so close, I could feel the cold radiating off of it like an open freezer. But this time, I wasn't paralyzed. I don't know why. Maybe its powers were stronger in the apartment. But whatever the reason, I rolled sideways, fell off the bed and ran like hell towards the nearest door. And I knew the thing was following me faster than I'd seen it move before. But I made it through the door and slammed it shut. And I realized I hadn't gone through the main door. I'd gone through a bathroom door. Stupid bathroom. And I was stuck. And I am stuck. And bang. It was pounding in the door, rattling the handle. Bang. Just bang, bang, bang. Too many to count. Like it was trying to break through until nothing. That was 20 minutes ago. Maybe. Maybe 30. But I can still hear it out there, that shuffling sound. I hear you. It's moving around the room and just touching all my stuff, I guess. And there's something else now. Whispers like it brought a buddy along, but I can't make out the words. Maybe it's just. Maybe it's just the sound my brain makes. I don't know. My phone was luckily in my pocket when I ran, but its battery is at 4% and I've got no signal. 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. I know what I saw. I just need proof. Yeah, proof. Otherwise, I'm just an insane dude laying in the bathtub talking to his phone at 4 in the morning. So I've been on video. Because if I can record this thing, then I know it's not in my head. So I need a plan. A plan. The plan. Okay. Okay. I'm.