Is exploding head syndrome the reason you can't sleep? 
 
 People with EHS hear loud noises when going to sleep or on waking 
 
 It can lead to sleeping problems and worse: temporary tachycardia 
 
 Any problems tend to be because of the way people react to episodes 
 
 Professor of psychology Dr Sharpless: 'EHS is generally harmless' 
 
 Exploding head syndrome may sound like a made-up condition - in fact, it's a real and frightening medical disorder, and one that a study suggests is surprisingly common. 
 
 People with exploding head syndrome (EHS) hear loud noises when going to sleep or on waking up. 
 
 The type of noise can vary from explosions and fireworks to slammed doors, the sound of a gun firing, an enormous roar, shouting, thunder or a crack of lightning. The noises start suddenly and last for a few seconds. 
 
 Before hearing the loud noise, one in ten also has visual disturbances, such as seeing lightning or flashes. These are similar to the auras some people have before a migraine headache. 
 
 
 
 People with exploding head syndrome (EHS) hear loud noises when going to sleep or on waking up 
 
 'In contrast to migraine, visual symptoms are brief - typically a single flash,' says Dr Nicholas Silver, a consultant neurologist at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation, Liverpool. 
 
 
 
 Exploding head syndrome may also cause a mild headache and sensations of heat; other symptoms include a jerk or 'jumping' limbs at the same time. 
 
 
 
 While some have only one attack in their life, others experience up to seven a night. They may come and go over weeks or months, though for some they occur almost daily for years. 
 
 It can lead to sleeping problems and worse: an attack may cause temporary tachycardia - a faster heart rate than normal - and palpitations. 
 
 
 
 In the longer term it can also lead to panic disorder, depression and catastrophising, where patients misinterpret symptoms as signs of more serious conditions, such as a stroke. 
 
 
 
 'I have assessed patients reporting apprehension who avoid sleep during chronic bouts of EHS,' says Dr Brian Sharpless, an assistant professor of psychology at Washington State University. 'It can be very frightening and scary for those who do not know what is happening.' 
 
 
 
 It can lead to sleeping problems and worse: an attack may cause temporary tachycardia 
 
 And a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews suggests that the disorder may affect as many as one in ten people at some time during their life. 
 
 'It has been claimed that EHS is rare, but preliminary data does not appear to imply rarity,' says Dr Sharpless, who led the study. 
 
 
 
 The disorder is known to be twice as common in women and typically affects the over-50s, though it has also been reported in children as young as ten. 
 
 
 
 Quite why it occurs is not clear. One theory is that it is caused by ear problems, especially those affecting the eustachian tube, which links the middle ear with the back of the nose and throat. 
 
 
 
 Problems here can affect air pressure in the middle ear, which can cause the perception of sounds when there are none. 
 
 Exploding head syndrome is also linked to rapid withdrawal from certain drugs such as benzodiazepines, given for anxiety or sleeping problems, or anti-depressants called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. 
 
 However, Dr Sharpless says the most likely explanation is that there is some kind of temporary blip in the nerve cells of the brain during the switch from being awake to sleeping. 
 
 
 
 When we go to sleep, the brain orchestrates a switching off of various regions responsible for movement, vision, sound and so on. It's thought that EHS occurs because of a delay in this shut-down, resulting in a burst of activity - this is perceived as loud noises and flashes of light. 
 
 
 
 Yet even though it was identified 150 years ago, researchers say EHS remains little known. 
 
 
 
 'It is an entirely benign and non-threatening condition,' says Dr Silver. However, lack of awareness means it's often misdiagnosed, as 'night-time' epilepsy, thunder-clap headaches - sudden, severe pain that peaks within 60 seconds - or nightmare disorder, where people often wake with detailed recall of frightening dreams. 
 
 
 
 It is also misdiagnosed as migraine, cluster headaches - severe pain on one side, often behind the eye - and post-traumatic stress disorder flashbacks. 
 
 'Because a diagnosis of EHS does not occur to a lot of doctors, it is not uncommon to see patients having investigations to rule out disorders such as subarachnoid haemorrhage (sudden bleeding around the brain) or epilepsy,' says Dr Silver. 
 
 
 
 'Any problems tend to be because of the way people react to episodes, such as misinterpreting them as indicative of a more serious condition, or avoiding sleep' 
 
 Patients may be given scans or even a lumbar puncture - where a needle is used to remove spinal fluid to check for subarachnoid haemorrhage. 
 
 'My main concern is the lack of recognition of this disorder among the public, but also possibly among the medical profession as it does not feature highly in standard textbooks on medicine or neurology,' says Dr Silver. 
 
 
 
 He stresses the importance of educating doctors who have not come across EHS - 'so patients with this syndrome are not put through probable unnecessary scans or lumbar punctures'. 
 
 
 
 'As with most neurological conditions, diagnosis relies on taking a good history from the patient and excluding more worrisome possibilities.' 
 
 For without a diagnosis, people with EHS will also miss out on receiving proper treatment. 
 
 
 
 The good news, says Dr Sharpless, is that while EHS can be scary, it is generally harmless. 
 
 
 
 'Any problems tend to be because of the way people react to episodes, such as misinterpreting them as indicative of a more serious condition, or avoiding sleep.' 
 
 Most patients simply require reassurance. 'I find lifestyle advice, for instance avoiding caffeine before bed, is all they need,' says Dr Silver. 
 
 There are drug treatments that may be effective, including the antidepressant clomipramine, calcium channel-blockers and anticonvulsants - typically used for epilepsy - though it's not clear how these work. 
 
 ||||| By Eric Sorensen, WSU science writer 
 
 PULLMAN, Wash.—It sounds like a phrase from Urban Dictionary or the title of an animated gif, but a Washington State University researcher says “exploding head syndrome” is an authentic and largely overlooked phenomenon that warrants a deeper look. 
 
 “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 scientific literature 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 sleep or waking up. While harmless, the episodes can be frightening. 
 
 “Some people start to become anxious when they go into their bedroom or when they try to go to sleep,” said Sharpless. “Daytime sleepiness can be another problem.” 
 
 Some patients report mild pain. Some hear an explosion in one ear, others in both ears and yet others within their heads. Some also see what looks like lightning or bright flashes. 
 
 Researchers do not know how widespread the problem is, but Sharpless is fielding enough reports of people with the disorder that he thinks it is more widespread than presumed. Just this week, a story on the disorder in Britain’s Daily Mail prompted several people with the syndrome to contact him. (See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2620837/Is-exploding-head-syndrome-reason-sleep.html) 
 
 The term “exploding head syndrome” dates to a 1988 article in Lancet, but it was described clinically as “snapping of the brain” in 1920. Silas Weir Mitchell, an American physician, wrote in 1876 of two men who experienced explosive-sounding “sensory discharges.” 
 
 While the syndrome is recognized in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, studies using electroencephalogram recordings have only documented the disruptions in periods of relaxed but awake drowsiness. 
 
 As with many sleep phenomena, it is largely mysterious. 
 
 “In layman’s terms, our best guess is that it occurs when the body doesn’t shut down for sleep in the correct sequence,” said Sharpless. “Instead of shutting down, certain groups of neurons actually get activated and have us perceive the bursts of noise. Behavioral and psychological factors come into play as well, and if you have normally disrupted sleep, the episodes will be more likely to occur.” 
 
 Judging from the limited scientific literature and available statistics, Sharpless said the syndrome 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. 
 
 Contact: 
 
 Brian Sharpless, WSU assistant professor of psychology, 509-335-3587, brian.sharpless@wsu.edu ||||| It is rare, it is strange, and it is a sound in your head that is medically called "exploding head syndrome" when that crash occurs. It sounds like the name of an animated picture, a colloquial phrase, or something that you say when there is way too much going on in your head. It could be something that is found in the urban dictionary or other such website. It is most definitely alien. It is also most definitely real, according to a news piece published May 6, 2014, on the Washington State University webpage. 
 
 “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 scientific literature on the disorder for the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews. “I have worked with some individuals who have it seven times a night, so it can lead to bad clinical consequences as well.” 
 
 What is Exploding Head Syndrome? 
 
 This crazy thing with the crazy name is a syndrome that occurs during sleep, particularly in women over the age of 50, though it does not discriminate age and gender. It is frightening to say the least and can increase or decrease over time, attaching the psyche of its own volition. Here is what it sounds like. 
 
 A bomb exploding 
 
 A gun going off 
 
 A clash of cymbals 
 
 The roof breaking in 
 
 A boulder crashing into a car 
 
 A loud door slam 
 
 Sudden fireworks 
 
 Is Exploding Head Syndrome Dangerous? 
 
 Though it is extremely frightening, particularly when we are asleep, the syndrome is not physically harmful, according to the American Sleep Association. On the other hand, increased anxiety and insomnia might follow, as well as daytime drowsiness. Some may feel a dull pain and hear it in either or both ears. They could also see a flash of lighting or a bright light while the explosion occurs. 
 
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 The term “exploding head syndrome” dates to a 1988 article in Lancet, but it was described clinically as “snapping of the brain” in 1920. Silas Weir Mitchell, an American physician, wrote in 1876 of two men who experienced explosive-sounding “sensory discharges.” 
 
 What Causes Exploding Head Syndrome? 
 
 The causes are very much still a mystery but one theory claims that it may be when the body does not shut down for sleep in the correct sequence, wherein certain neurons fire up instead of leaving their excited stages. Some doctors present it as a side effect of excess stress or lack of proper sleep. 
 
 Treating Exploding Head Syndrome 
 
 In terms of medication, a tricyclic antidepressant called clomipramine is often prescribed. If it is stress causing the problem, yoga, reading, a hot bath and relaxing music are prescribed. If sleep duration is the problem, 7+ hours of shut-eye are prescribed. The best treatment is just to reassure the patient that it is harmless and the brain is perfectly fine. 
 
 Remember, it might feel like your head is exploding, and most definitely sounds like it, but it is not something to worry about when you have exploding head syndrome. 
 
 For all this said in a more visually appealing manner, check out this youtube clip:
– OK, it doesn't involve one's head literally exploding, but "exploding head syndrome" is no joke, say experts. "It's a provocative and understudied phenomenon," says psychologist Brian Sharpless of Washington State University after a review of studies. Sufferers experience explosive-sounding noises during transitions between waking and sleep. They may feel like they're hearing gunshots or fireworks. "I've worked with some individuals who have it seven times a night," Sharpless says. Others may only have it once, ever, the Daily Mail notes. The result can be a fear of going to sleep as well as mild pain during the episodes—though the perceived noises themselves aren't harmful. Why does it happen? Experts aren't sure. "Our best guess is that it occurs when the body doesn't shut down for sleep in the correct sequence," Sharpless says. "Instead of shutting down, certain groups of neurons actually get activated and have us perceive the bursts of noise." It appears to be most common in women older than 50, eMaxHealth reports, but it's by no means limited to that group; in fact, it may occur in 10% of people, the Mail notes. According to eMax, the "best treatment" is simply learning that the disorder won't hurt you. (Another thing that actually exists, according to science: "short man syndrome.")