Hear that bump — or bang — in the night?
Getting your recommended seven to nine hours of shuteye can come with complications for many, from obstructive sleep apnea to restless leg syndrome and more.
Add “exploding head syndrome” to the list, a terrifyingly named yet harmless disorder that can cause quite a stir.
Despite its shocking name, “exploding head syndrome” (EHS) is benign and not dangerous.
However, it can severely disrupt sleep, causing other health issues like accelerated brain aging and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
Also called episodic cranial sensory shocks, this disorder makes you hear a false loud noise or explosive sound in your head.
While EHS is a parasomnia — patterns or behaviors that disrupt sleep — the sounds aren’t real, and no one else can hear them.
The exact cause behind this disorder isn’t clear, but researchers have several theories as to why it happens.
Some of these include sudden, unexpected electrical activity in the brain that processes and creates senses, damage to the inner ear, abnormal sleep-wake transitions or tiny seizures in the brain’s temporal lobe.
The “noises” could also be side effects from abruptly stopping medications that treat depression or anxiety disorders, such as benzodiazepines.
It’s possible the condition is genetic, however, experts haven’t identified any exact genes or variations that may cause EHS.
The biggest sign is hearing a loud noise that sounds like an explosion, gunshot, thunder, loud drums or crashing glass.
Other symptoms during an episode can include seeing a flash of light, muscle jerks, having trouble falling back asleep, waking up sweating, a racing heart, shortness of breath or feeling anxious.
The frequency of episodes varies by person, as some may have several episodes in one night or for several nights in a row, while others go weeks or even months between episodes.
There’s no specific treatment for “exploding head syndrome,” but symptoms can be managed in order to get a full night’s sleep.
Certain medications that are used to treat parasomnias may also be prescribed for EHS.
These include topiramate, an antiseizure drug; nifedipine, a medication that usually treats heart disease; amitriptyline, an antidepressant; and clomipramine, an obsessive-compulsive disorder medication.
Other practices, like journaling before bed, may give a better idea of what causes EHS for different people.
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or breathing exercises can also help someone with EHS be able to relax before going to sleep.
