'Exploding head syndrome'—a real but overlooked sleep disorder

Credit: xiaphias/Wikipedia


"It's a provocative and understudied phenomenon," said Brian Sharpless, a WSU assistant professor and director of the university psychology clinic, who recently reviewed the on the disorder for the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews. "I've worked with some individuals who have it seven times a night, so it can lead to bad clinical consequences as well."

People with the syndrome typically perceive abrupt, loud noises—door slams, fireworks, gunshots—as they are going to or waking up. While harmless, the episodes can be frightening.






As with many sleep phenomena, it is largely mysterious.


Judging from the limited scientific literature and available statistics, Sharpless said the is more common in women than men. Some medical treatments are available for it, but one possible intervention can be simply reassuring a patient that it is not a dangerous condition.

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May 07, 2014
I have had only it a couple times. I think there is a phenomena that may play tricks on the brain when we just on the verge of sleep.

That is, sounds that are very close to the ear sound louder than those far away. If you hear a fly, standing on your ear, drop his spectacles then although this is a quiet sound up close it is equal in strength to a door slamming or a far off Earth quake or the sound of the moon exploding.

The phenomena is the same as things close to our eyes being bigger than when they are further away. We have no problem figuring out that illusion. But if your brain suddenly thought that coffee mug you are holding is actually one mile away then you would interpret its size to be that of a sky scraper.

This explanation will be true of at least some cases, especially the rare explosions like mine :)


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