Do Ghosts Haunt During the Day? Question Answered

Was your sighting a wild imagination? Most ghost-hunting shows, books, and movies picture ghosts during nighttime. Is it possible for spirits to manifest while taking your afternoon coffee?

As a general rule, ghosts can haunt during the day. It is hard to notice the manifestation, though. The ghostly manifestation is interfered with by background lights and noise. We are more prone to detect supernatural phenomena during the night as our senses spike.

We are prone to think that paranormal activity only happens at nighttime, but that is a myth. Hauntings happen during the daytime as well. This article teaches you everything you need to know about hauntings during the day.

Ghost hauntings during daytime

It’s a myth that ghosts only manifest during nighttime. Apparitions can happen anytime as ghosts don’t follow our Earthly time. It’s much easier to spot them during the dark hours, though.

During the night, everything calms down, and your senses spike. You instantly feel as if something is off. It’s not uncommon to wake up if something unexpected happens – just a faint sound can make you jump out of bed!

We are in a weak position when we sleep and when it is dark around us. Our senses are working full-time to register anything that can cause a threat to our family or us. This is often not the case if you dose off in front of the TV during the day.

Our senses spike at night

As we are (often) dependent on sight. When night comes, and the shadows start lurking, it is easy to get anxious and afraid. This is the root of fears of the dark and alike. It is deep-rooted within us as we are vulnerable during dark hours.

We don’t get (as) freaked out by things that do not follow natural daytime patterns. It is much easier for a subtle manifestation to go under the radar. During the nighttime, every sound or light phenomenon out of the “ordinary” gets registered as a potential “threat.”

This might be one of the main reasons we think most hauntings happen at night. We miss many sightings as we are busy going about our days.

We are occupied by computers, phones, city lights and sounds, dogs barking, police cars, and traffic lights beeping. The list goes on…

As manifestations often are subtle and delicate, you can easily miss them in the background noise or lights over everyday life.

Another important thing is that we know who belongs and who does not. It’s easier a ghost slips by. We know something is strange if we hear soft music or a voice in the middle of the night than during the day. The same goes for scents and footsteps.

If you want to learn the best time to go ghost hunting, read more in the article below!

Related article: Unveiling the Best Times to Hunt for Ghosts

Poltergeist activity during daytime

One paranormal phenomenon is often experienced during daytime – poltergeists. Their violent and often noisy manifestations are easily noticed even in broad daylight. Poltergeists move and throw objects, slam doors, and in some cases, even attack people.

Due to the scary manifestations, they are often seen even during the daytime. There are lots of videos with poltergeist activity recorded during the day.

In the video below, a poltergeist is active during the daytime. It throws objects, slams doors, moves things around, and makes a mess out of the home.

Not all paranormal experiences are as forceful as poltergeists, though. It is easy to forget that ghosts seldom visually manifest. They are often manifest by voice phenomena, sound, emotions, electromagnetic fields, chills, goosebumps, hot or cold spots, etc.

Demonic and negative entities

The more powerful the ghost or entity is, the easier it has to manifest and interact with us. Demonic hauntings with potent entities happen all day round. I think this makes the theory very viable. The more energy the entity has to begin with and the eagerness for it to communicate, the more prone it is to show itself during the day.

The most common time for hauntings

The most common time for ghost sightings and activity is midnight to 4 AM. Many say the paranormal activities peak at 3 AM. There’s a belief that psychic vibrations are the strongest during these hours. The veil between the worlds is as thinnest.

Back in the day, it was referred to as the “witching hour.” Rosemary Ellen Guiley says in her Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, “According to superstition, the time of night when ghosts and other supernatural beings are about on the earth and are most likely to be encountered.”

There is no proof of the “witching hour.” But this is the case with everything paranormal. I think it comes down to experience and that people are experiencing paranormal activity at this time of the day. Not necessarily that it only occurs during this time of the day.

The sun rises early, and the city’s animals and sounds wake at 5 AM. So the “witching hour” might correlate with the day’s darkest and quiet time. And, I know, if you live in a city, there is never silence and darkness.

As we have a house in the city and the silence of the archipelago, I know how the sounds and the light are different. You hear and see other things depending on where you are located and the signature of that place.

There is no proof of the “witching hour.” But this is the case with everything paranormal. I think it comes down to experience and that people are experiencing paranormal activity at this time of the day. Not necessarily that it only occurs during this time of the day.

Claudette Beaulieu

The “normal” times for hauntings differ from place to place. Some sites only have hauntings at night, while others at daytime. Some have all activity happening all the time. This makes it even harder to say when you are most prone to experience ghost activity.

I have noticed that many tourist locations with ghost tours have their walks at nighttime. This makes them more “authentic,” as most people are familiar with ghosts from pop culture. Maybe they are afraid they will scare off people. Many haunted places are historical sites that target everyone, from kids to the elderly. I hope you get my point even if I don’t say it aloud.

Background disturbance

Background disturbance might make it hard for a paranormal investigator or ghost hunter to collect evidence during the daytime. It is not impossible, but it is harder to use them as evidence as it is quickly challenged. If you hear a faint disembodied voice on the recording, you might be questioned if it is due to background disturbance.

The same goes for photographs. It is harder to capture a visual manifestation in broad daylight. It can be challenged as a reflection. When you take photos during the daytime, many natural shadows and light phenomena can occur. There are fewer errors from natural lights during the nighttime. The contrast between the light and sheer manifestations is easier to spot and catch.

During the day, the electromagnetic disturbance is going on as well. People have their electrical gadgets switched on, which might interfere with the investigation. Motion and vibration detectors might go off if people get too near—our apartment trembles when a lorry passes outside.

It is harder to seal off areas during the daytime; the risk of someone walking into the site is much higher.

Manifestation and energy

A theory of why ghosts seem to haunt more frequently at night is that they need less energy to manifest. If a spirit wants to display during the day, it needs to absorb more energy from the surroundings. The ghost must shine brighter or even darker to make an impact.

If it is an intelligent haunting, it often has something it wants to communicate to us. It is easier to get our attention during dark hours. If it is a residual haunting, it will replay when the circumstances are right, not caring if it is seen.

It might depend on the type of ghost or haunting, whether it decides to manifest during the daytime or not. As we have seen earlier, poltergeists have no issues making themselves known during broad daylight.

It comes down to whether it is an intelligent haunting and whether the ghosts want to communicate. If I were a ghost, I would take chances when I had the best time to be seen. It takes a lot of effort and energy to manifest.

There are exceptions to the “rule,” though. Ed and Lorraine Warren wrote in their book “Graveyard” about encountering a friend’s ghost in broad daylight. The apparition was fleshy and not transparent. The book describes hauntings in the middle of the day. So it is far from clear-cut.

Empaths and Psychics

Empaths and psychics can sense ghosts and spirits without a manifestation. Empaths and psychics “see” or “feel” spirits around the clock – not only at nighttime.

There are differences between empaths and psychics. Empaths have an emotional connection with the ghost (or living), and psychics can retrieve information about happenings in the past and the future.

An empath can feel the presence of a spirit or entity without seeing it with the naked eye. These sightings are prevalent during the daytime as well. An experienced empath can quickly distinguish between a living and a dead person’s emotional field.

The same goes for psychics. They can retrieve information around the clock.

Many empaths and psychics say there is as much activity during the day as in the dark hours. I can vouch for that myself. But, as always, it is hard (or even maybe impossible) to scientifically prove the existence of extrasensory experiences.

Having an empath or psychic present when you do investigations is always a great idea. You can get hints and clues on where to look. This is very valuable if you are conducting your research during the day.

All have some psychic ability, but some have more developed skills than others. These are mediums and can have “conversations” with spirits and ghosts. All psychics have their place and are as essential. It is of great essence to get the “right one” for you and your situation.

In summary

It is a myth that ghosts only haunt during the daytime. You can encounter ghostly phenomena during the day and the dark hours. It is easier to spot an apparition during the nighttime, though.

The ghost doesn’t need as much energy to manifest when the lights are low. If it wants to communicate, it will pick the time of the day when it will get the most bang for the buck.

If it is a residual haunting, it will show whenever the circumstances are right. It doesn’t care if it is seen, as it replicates former events. On the other hand, intelligent haunting will try to get your attention. The more powerful the ghost or entity is, the less dependent it is on external energy.

A human spirit doesn’t have as much power as a demonic one. Demonic and poltergeist activity is more prone to daytime hauntings.

Remember, though. Many manifestations are not visual. A ghost can make itself known through all our senses; smell, sound, and taste (yes!).

It is easier to miss subtle manifestations when you go about your day. Empaths and psychics can feel spirits all around the clock. It’s a part of life for a person with extrasensory skills.

Reference and cites

• Graveyard, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Book 1), Audiobook, 1992
• The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, 2007
• Ghost-Hunting for Dummies, Zak Bagans, Audiobook, 2020