Have you ever been asleep, only to wake as much as the sound of a bomb going off inside your head? If you might have, you've likely experienced exploding head syndrome, a mysterious and poorly understood sleep problem. Exploding head syndrome (EHS) belongs to a family of sleep disorders called parasomnias. Other parasomnias include sleep paralysis and Hypnic jerks – The reason for that unpleasant feeling of falling we sometimes feel while sleeping.
EHS has been known to medical professionals ever since. At least 1876and apparently the French philosopher and scientist Rene Descartes experienced it. Yet, we all know surprisingly little concerning the condition.
A typical episode is characterised by the experience of a sudden loud noise or the feeling of an explosion inside the pinnacle that happens through the transition from wakefulness to sleep. Sounds which are heard during EHS. are variableand includes visions of gunshots, slamming doors, or inarticulate screams. Importantly, the sounds which are heard are at all times short (a number of seconds or less), very loud and with none obvious external source within the environment.
Along with the sounds, Some people experiment With temporary visual hallucinations similar to vibrant flashes. Others have. Also reported Sensation of intense heat, or electric charge within the upper body.
It's hard to assume how many individuals experience EHS. One reason for this is solely the shortage of accessible data. Only a handful of studies have attempted to survey the prevalence of EHS in the overall population.
A preliminary study found that 11% of otherwise healthy adults Experienced EHS, while Another study Among undergraduate students, it was found that 17% of participants had experienced multiple episodes of their lifetime. In my very own, recent study, again amongst undergraduate students, my colleagues and I discovered that A third Among our sample had experienced at the least one episode of EHS of their lifetime, with roughly 6% experiencing at the least one episode a month.
These studies indicate that EHS is a comparatively common experience, at the least amongst young adults. However, it appears to be less common than other parasomnias similar to hypnic jerks, which 70% of people.
Motivations
The exact reason for EHS is unknown. While many theories of the underlying reason for EHS have been recommend. The most popular Affects the brain's natural processes that go on within the transition from wakefulness to sleep. On a typical night, as we transition from wakefulness to sleep, activity throughout the brain's reticular formation is reduced.
gave Reticular formation There is a set of brain structures situated primarily within the brainstem and hypothalamus, which act as an “on-off” switch for the brain. As reticular activity slows within the transition to sleep, our sensory cortices that control vision, sound, and motor movement are activated. to close.
It has been suggested that the EHS experience is as a consequence of a disruption on this normal switching-off process, which within the absence of an external stimulus induces a delayed and non-discontinuous increase in neuronal activation in sensory networks. These temporary spikes of activation are then perceived as high-pitched sounds that characterize EHS.
Although the precise neurological basis of EHS stays speculative, we're starting to learn more about other aspects that make an EHS episode more likely. In certainly one of the primary studies to have a look at associated aspects, My colleagues and I found it Health variables similar to life stress were related to experiencing EHS. This relationship was mediated by insomnia symptoms. In other words, life stress was circuitously related to EHS, but was not directly related to prior sleep disruption.
Is EHS dangerous?
Despite its provocative name, EHS is harmless. However, it is crucial to differentiate an episode of EHS from other conditions, especially from different ones Types of headache. Episodes of EHS are very temporary (a number of seconds) and typically haven't any associated pain. If there's, it's mild and temporary. In contrast, many headaches are long-lasting and are related to significantly higher levels of pain.
That's to not say that EHS can't be a scary experience. In one Recent surveys Among greater than 3,000 participants who had experienced EHS, we found that 45% of respondents reported moderate to severe levels of fear related to their EHS. 1 / 4 of participants also reported high levels of distress in response to experiencing EHS, with increasing levels of distress with more frequent episodes.
Unfortunately, there have been no systematic studies investigating potential treatments and coping strategies for those combating traumatic experiences of EHS. In our surveyparticipants reported that changing their sleep position to avoid sleeping on their back, adjusting their sleep patterns and deploying mindfulness techniques were all effective strategies for stopping EHS. Whether any of those techniques prove effective in clinical trials stays to be seen.
Encouragingly, just learning that EHS is a standard and harmless condition can go a good distance. In one A patient case studyit was reported that reassurance and education concerning the experience prevented episodes from occurring. At least for now, one of the best advice appears to be to attempt to realize that these experiences are normal and don't indicate that something is improper. Simple techniques, similar to improving sleep habits, can go a good distance in stopping traumatic episodes from occurring.