Medical Exploding Head Syndrome: Causes & Effects

[Evo]

I've noticed a number of threads asking about sleep paralysis, and especially loud noises when falling asleep. I found this article and thought others might be interested.

http://www.livescience.com/health/sleep-disorders-top10-100208-1.html

The "loud noises" is a disorder called "Exploding Head Syndrome".

Exploding head syndrome is a rare and relatively undocumented parasomnia event in which the subject experiences a loud bang in their head similar to a bomb exploding, a gun going off, a clash of cymbals or any other form of loud, indecipherable noise that seems to originate from inside the head. Contrary to the name, exploding head syndrome has no elements of pain, swelling or any other physical trait associated with it. They may be perceived as having bright flashes of light accompanying them, or result in shortness of breath, though this is likely caused by the increased heart rate of the subject after experiencing it. It most often occurs just before deep sleep, and sometimes upon coming out of deep sleep.

Attacks can increase or decrease with time, and can disappear for long stretches at a time, or entirely, of their own volition. Subjects often feel fear or distress after the incident.

http://www.sleepassociation.org/index.php?p=explodingheadsyndrome

 

[lisab]

I've heard about this. I, too, hear very loud noises from time to time when I sleep, or as I fall asleep. I always thought it was just part of a dream but I never remember the context of the dream.

Typically the noises are like falling book shelves.

But I wouldn't say the noise comes from "inside my head"; it seems to have its origin from somewhere nearby. So I don't think this phenomenon is what I experience.

 

[Borek]

I wonder if it is related to what I experience occasionally. Just before falling asleep I have a feeling as if I banged my head on something - no pain, just the shock, as if my head has been shaken. Interestingly, it happens rather when I have an occasion to doze during a day, rarely when I go to bed at night.

 

[Gaius Baltar]

I get the bright white flash of light sometimes when I am drifiting off to sleep, and the TV makes a kind of banging sound... Like someone flicked the corner of the TV hard.

Wierd.

 

[Evo]

I get the bright white flash of light sometimes when I am drifiting off to sleep, and the TV makes a kind of banging sound... Like someone flicked the corner of the TV hard.

Wierd.

The tv noise could be a discharge of static, my tv does that all of the time.