What is the exploding head syndrome that makes us wake up?

Exploding head syndrome (or EHS) is a disorder of the dream in which patients experience a sudden, loud noise in their head, as they are about to stop asleep .

This is a condition that falls into the category of parasomnias .

From the Mayo Clinic define the term, broadly, as the disturbing or strange behaviors or experiences during sleep .

People who experience episodes of EHS tend to feel a bomb noise that makes them wake up suddenly . This is why the syndrome receives the aforementioned name.

However, These noises may vary from person to person. They can therefore be perceived as similar to those of a gunshot, a scream, a slamming door or a crash.

What these noises have in common is that They are short-lived (a few seconds or less) and feel very strong .

Although the diagnosis has been known since at least 1876, there is not much information on the syndrome.

One of the specialists who has dedicated himself to investigating it is the teacher of Psychology from the University of York in England, Dan Denis .

In September 2024, he published an article in the academic media The conversation in which addressed some of the findings that have been made about EHS.

As detailed, Some people may experience brief visual hallucinations which usually manifest as flashes of light.

There are also cases in which patients have reported feeling intense heat or feeling of electric charge in his body.

Denis said that the studies that have been done on the subject reflect that It is more common in young adults .

Research published in SAGE Journals In 2017, it was detected that, in a sample of 49 university students facing episodes of EHS, only 11% informed a health professional .

Another presentation at the Journal of Sleep Research In 2015, we assessed 211 university students and found that nearly 17% of them had several episodes of the syndrome during their life .

A study led by Denis and published in Sleep In 2019, he identified that “A third of the sample had experienced at least one episode of EHS in their lifetime, with approximately 6% suffering at least one episode each month.” wrote the expert in his article in The Conversation.

The York University professor said that the exact cause is unknown exploding head syndrome.

“Although many theories have been proposed about the origin of EHS, The most popular one is about natural brain processes which occur regularly during the transition from consciousness to sleep.

In this sense, Denis explains that “on a typical night, As we transition from consciousness to sleep, activity within the brain’s reticular formation decreases “.

This part consists of “a series of brain structures located mainly in the brainstem and hypothalamus, which acts as an “on-off” switch of the brain.

“As reticular activity is reduced during the transition to sleep, The sensory cortexes that control vision, hearing and motor movements begin to shut down “.

“It has been proposed that the EHS experience is due to the interruption of this normal shutdown process, which generates the delayed and disconnected increase in neuronal activation in the networks sensory in the absence of any external stimulus,” added the York University professor.

In this sense, he stressed that “These brief bursts of activation are then perceived as loud sounds. and indefinite which characterize the “exploding head syndrome”.

In its research on this diagnosis, the team led by Denis identified that Factors such as stress and others associated with well-being are linked to EHS although by symptoms such as insomnia.

“In other words, Life stress was not directly related to EHS, but was related to an initial disruption of normal sleep patterns. “, said the academic.

exploding head syndrome It’s not dangerous in itself, he stressed, but it’s important to distinguish it. other conditions that might be, such as certain types of migraines.

He reiterated that EHS episodes They only last a few seconds and “there is usually no associated pain” even if “if there is any, it is slight and temporary.”

On the other hand, he said: “Many migraines last longer and are associated with significantly higher pain levels.” .

Anyway, Coping with this syndrome can trigger fear and high levels of distress even more so if the episodes occur repeatedly.

“Unfortunately, There have been no systematic studies of possible treatments and coping strategies for people facing distressing experiences. of EHS,” Denis explains.

However, he said the patients they have evaluated claim that actions such as changing your sleeping posture (avoiding lying on your back), adjusting your sleep habits and adopting mindfulness techniques They helped them.

Of course, he stressed that clinical trials are needed to verify effectiveness of these techniques.

Moreover, according to Denis, “Just knowing that EHS is a common and harmless disease can go a long way” .

Remember, if you have any doubts about your health, It is always advisable to seek professional advice to assess your particular case and the best ways to approach it. .