Do You Suffer from Exploding Head Syndrome?

Last week, I stumbled across a Yahoo! article that made me do a double-take: Exploding Head Syndrome.

Exploding what??

You may have run across it as well, yet, I wasn’t sure if this was scientific or a bunch of bunk. I did a little digging and discovered that “Exploding Head Syndrome (EHS)” actually exists. Research published last year in Cephalalgia, a journal published by the International Headache Society, looked into EHS as a significant and common occurrence among people when they move from sleep to awake and vice versa.

Of interest, this really isn’t a new phenomenon as it was discovered in medical literature dating as far back as 1890. It was described as a loud noise or pistol-shot in the brain. At the time, it was considered a significant disorder usually which occurred because the individual was suffering from another mental health disorder such as depression, compulsions or anxiety.

Thanks to modern science and research, we have learned that EHS is a benign disorder that occurs when people move from sleeping to waking or waking to sleeping. There is no pain involved; however, the violent boom can be terrifying and often described by individuals as pain.

Researchers found that explosion comes from the auditory neurons shutting down at once – basically crashing at once with a loud bang. Because of the extreme loudness in the head, people often mistake it for a seizure or a brain aneurysm. It is far more common in females than males. As reported in Cephalalgia, 61% of those suffering from EHS have been female ranging in age from 12 to 84. So, it can happen at just about any age; however, it is far more common among those in their 50s.

The American Sleep Association notes that EHS is not dangerous, but it does affect your ability to have a good night’s sleep. EHS is still associated with many mental disorders and some antidepressant drugs can eliminate the phenomenon. However, it has been noted that most often the main culprit is stress. The American Sleep Association strongly recommends that anyone suffering from poor sleep habits, not just EHS, consider stress-reducing techniques such as reading, yoga, music or a relaxing bath before bedtime.

Although it is not a significant health concern, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine strongly recommends that if your EHS is chronic (meaning that you have heard these noises regularly), that you may have something more serious such as another sleep disorder, a medical condition, mental health issue or substance abuse.

It is important to talk with your doctor about your EHS should it become a regular annoyance or if it significantly affects your ability to sleep.



Works used for this article:
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2014). Exploding head syndrome – overview and facts. Retrieved from http://www.sleepeducation.com/sleep-disorders-by-category/parasomnias/exploding-head-syndrome/overview-facts

American Sleep Association. (2015). Exploding head syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.sleepassociation.org/patients-general-public/exploding-head-syndrome/.

Birch, J. (2015). Exploding head syndrome: The weird sleep phenomenon that’s way more common than you thought. Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/health/exploding-head-syndrome-the-weird-sleep-115029839587.html.

Frese, A., Summer, O., and Evers, S. (2014). Exploding head syndrome: Six new cases and review of the literature. Cephalalgia, 34(10), 823-827.