Although awareness under general anesthesia is rare, this brochure was created by ASA and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) to answer patients’ questions about this phenomenon. The brochure explains what awareness under general anesthesia is and isn’t, and why it can happen.  It discusses what researchers and health care providers are doing to lessen the chance of this rare event and offers guidance to patients for discussing concerns about awareness with their anesthesia professional.