Exploding Head Syndrome (!)

[Cort]

Well this is a new one!

Yes, it's another sleep disorder - albeit one I'd never heard of.

From WebMd

"Although its name is very vivid, exploding head syndrome isn't painful.

It's where you imagine a loud noise right before you fall asleep or wake up. It may sound like fireworks, a bomb exploding, or a loud crash. Some people have described it as a gunshot, cymbals crashing, or a lightning strike

Even though it doesn't hurt, it can cause confusion. As it's happening, you may think you're in the midst of a heart attack or stroke.

Sometimes, you might just imagine the loud sound. Other times, you may also have a flash of light or a muscle twitch at the same time.

Episodes could come every so often. You may hear several sounds in one night. You could have a lot of them in a short period, then none for a long time."

.
Causes: Minor seizures, middle ear problems and (the inevitable) stress or anxiety'

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorde...Qa4fEhFleSkN6zzHj7ha@HnVev1imbCsdjqQXTh/eU=#1

 

[BadBadBear]

Well, our neighbors DO build bombs and blow them off around bedtime (thank goodness, usually not often after 10 PM). Now I am not sure if it's ME or them!

But yes, I am pretty sure I've asked my partner more than once what that noise was, and he SAYS there wasn't anything. Next time, I'll just tell him my head exploded.

 

[Cort]

 

[Tammy]

This used to happen to my ex. He described the sound as a gunshot as he would fall to sleep. Strange.

 

[Wishful]

Not a sound, imaginary or not, but sometimes when I'm laying there, I'll get a kind of spasm, like being shocked. No stress or anxiety involved. Maybe just a neuron misfiring. It might be the same syndrome. Not troublesome enough to bother about though.

 

[kurt]

I get this sometimes, a loud pop. Usually while the brain is shutting down at night. I sometimes get the sound when waking up as well. Really wierd. I have wondered if there is a gland of some kind in the head that opens and closes and can make noise. Or maybe something in the ear or sinuses when we relax. Possibly just neurological noise from uneven release of ions in the nerves.

 

[BadBadBear]

Not a sound, imaginary or not, but sometimes when I'm laying there, I'll get a kind of spasm, like being shocked. No stress or anxiety involved. Maybe just a neuron misfiring. It might be the same syndrome. Not troublesome enough to bother about though.

Like a hypnic jerk? => https://www.livescience.com/39225-why-people-twitch-falling-asleep.html

 

[Wishful]

Yup, hypnic jerks is probably correct. I see there's no real treatment, but I rarely experience it, so I won't worrry about it. Thanks for the correct term though.

 

[2Cor.12:9]

Well this is a new one!

Yes, it's another sleep disorder - albeit one I'd never heard of.

@Cort - Arghhh...... I had this for awhile when I first got sick 32 yrs ago. Only recently learned what it was. It totally freaked me out- Sounded like a bomb exploding inside my head while I was sleeping. I thought I had a ruptured aneurysm or something - but then I guess I woulda been dead- :0
Definitely one of the weirder symptoms I've had.