Sleep apnea is a terrifying condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
While most people associate it with health issues like snoring and fatigue, some believe there’s a darker side—a gateway for nightmares, hallucinations, and supernatural encounters. Here are three chilling sleep apnea horror stories that might make you think twice before falling asleep tonight.
1. The Shadow in the Corner
David had always struggled with sleep apnea. His snoring was so loud that his wife, Emily, often had to sleep in another room.
But one night, things changed.
David woke up gasping for air. His CPAP machine was still running, but it felt like something was pressing down on his chest.
He opened his eyes and saw a dark figure in the corner of the room. It was tall and thin, with hollow eyes that reflected the dim glow of the nightlight.
Frozen in fear, David tried to scream, but his throat was tight. The figure moved closer, its limbs cracking with each step.
As it approached, David felt his chest tighten even more. He couldn’t breathe. The machine beeped rapidly, signaling low airflow.
Emily rushed into the room and flipped on the light.
The figure vanished, and David gasped for breath. His chest heaved as he struggled to calm down.
“You were choking in your sleep!” Emily cried.
David was shaken but grateful to be alive. However, the relief didn’t last long.
Over the next few nights, the figure returned. Each time, it stood closer, watching him with those cold, empty eyes.
David started avoiding sleep, fearing that if he fell asleep again, he wouldn’t wake up.
One night, Emily woke up to find David’s CPAP machine on the floor, unplugged.
David was lying still, his lips blue. She screamed and shook him until he gasped awake.
“I saw it,” he whispered. “It was standing over me.”
David began sleeping with the lights on and refused to be alone at night.
But the figure never really left. Some nights, Emily would catch glimpses of a shadow in the corner, even when David was awake.
Moral of the Story: Some nightmares are more real than we think—and sleep apnea might be the doorway.
2. The Visitor in the Night
Anna had suffered from sleep apnea for years. Her doctor prescribed a CPAP machine, which helped at first.
But after a few months, strange things started happening.
It began with whispers in the night. At first, she thought it was just the sound of the CPAP machine’s air pressure.
But the whispers grew louder, forming words she couldn’t quite understand.
One night, Anna woke up feeling a sharp pain in her chest. She opened her eyes and saw a man sitting at the foot of her bed.
His face was pale, his eyes sunken. He smiled faintly.
“Anna,” he whispered. “It’s time to go.”
Anna tried to scream, but no sound came out. Her CPAP mask tightened against her face, making it harder to breathe.
The man crawled toward her, his mouth widening into an unnatural grin.
Suddenly, the machine shut off. Anna ripped the mask off and sat up, gasping for air. The man was gone.
Terrified, Anna checked the machine. It was still plugged in, but it wouldn’t turn on.
The next day, Anna called the CPAP provider. They told her the machine had malfunctioned due to an unknown error. Anna wasn’t convinced.
The following night, the whispers returned. This time, Anna heard her name clearly. “Anna… come with me.”
She opened her eyes and saw the man standing beside her bed. His cold hand touched her shoulder. “You can’t keep fighting it,” he said.
Anna screamed, kicking the blankets off. She turned on the light, and the man disappeared. Her heart raced as she checked her pulse. She could still feel the chill of his touch.
Anna started seeing the man even when she was awake—his reflection in the mirror, his face in the window. Doctors said it was sleep paralysis mixed with hallucinations from lack of oxygen. But Anna knew the truth.
The man wasn’t a hallucination. He was waiting for her to fall asleep—for good.
Moral of the Story: Sleep apnea might not just stop your breathing—it might let something else in.
3. Trapped in the Dream
Tom had been diagnosed with sleep apnea after years of struggling with poor sleep. His doctor gave him a CPAP machine, and things started improving—until the dreams began.
Tom’s dreams were vivid and strange. He would find himself walking through endless hallways, hearing whispers and footsteps behind him. Every time he turned around, the hallways would stretch farther into the distance.
One night, the dream changed. Tom found himself standing in front of a massive black door. A voice behind him said, “Open it.”
Tom turned to see a tall figure with hollow eyes and a twisted smile. “You’ve already crossed over,” it said.
Tom woke up gasping. His CPAP machine was off, and the power cord was unplugged. Confused, he plugged it back in and tried to calm down.
But the dreams got worse.
In one dream, Tom was trapped in a glass room with no doors. The figure stood outside, smiling. “You can’t wake up,” it said. Tom banged on the glass, screaming. He could hear the beep of the CPAP machine in the distance, but it was growing fainter.
Tom woke up covered in sweat. His chest ached, and his breathing was shallow. His doctor adjusted the settings on his machine, but the dreams continued.
One night, Tom decided to face the figure. In the dream, he walked toward the black door and opened it. Inside was a room full of other people wearing CPAP masks, their eyes closed, their bodies limp.
“You’re one of us now,” the figure said.
Tom’s heart pounded. He backed away, but the figure grabbed his arm. “You can’t leave,” it whispered.
Tom woke up gasping, his heart racing. The CPAP machine was unplugged again.
That night, Tom slept without the machine. The figure didn’t appear, but he woke up feeling like he’d aged ten years.
Tom never used the CPAP machine again. His sleep apnea worsened, but he preferred sleepless nights over the alternative.
Moral of the Story: Sometimes, the cure is worse than the disease.
Final Thoughts
These sleep apnea horror stories explore the dark and terrifying side of sleep disorders. While sleep apnea is a medical condition, some believe it opens a doorway to nightmares, hallucinations, and things beyond human understanding. If you’ve ever experienced strange sensations during sleep, maybe it wasn’t just a dream.
Sleep tight—if you dare.
Mark Richards is the creative mind behind Classica FM, a podcast platform that brings stories, knowledge, and inspiration to listeners of all ages. With a passion for storytelling and a love for diverse topics, he curates engaging content—from kids’ tales to thought-provoking discussions for young adults.
