Fall is coming to an end and winter is coming. During this change of season it is often inevitable that the weather is hot and cold, which can affect your sleep more or less.
Some people have trouble sleeping because they can’t sleep all the time, and some people have trouble sleeping when they wake up from their sleep. In addition to the “ghost pressure on the bed” that we have popularized before, there is another situation that many people have encountered:
When you wake up, you will feel a loud noise, but when you wake up, you will find that the surrounding area is very quiet, and there is nothing that makes a loud noise.
If you have a similar situation, it may not be a simple “did not sleep well”, but rather the emergence of the explosive head syndrome, need to pay attention to.
This unpleasant situation, how is it? Today we will find out!
What’s going on with the exploding head syndrome?
Exploding Head Syndrome is a form of ectomorphic sleep in which the sufferer awakens from sleep to loud noises and a host of problems that accompany sleep.
So how loud is this loud noise? Patient descriptions include: painless loud noises, cymbal crashes, bombs exploding ……
Not only that, but a flash of light may accompany the sound, or a muscle twitch may occur. Although not related to physical pain, some patients claim to have a sudden “tingling” in the head and many believe they are having a stroke.
The frequency of its episodes varies greatly, from rare to several in one night, which can greatly disrupt sleep. Other patients have no attacks at all for weeks, or even months, after experiencing recurring episodes for several nights in a row.
The cause of Exploding Head Syndrome is unknown. It may occur more frequently when a person is very tired or under stress, and in many people it occurs less frequently over a period of years.
Exploding head syndrome may be confused with headache syndrome. Unlike headaches, however, exploding head syndrome is usually a painless attack with no lingering pain.
It is not known how many people have Exploding Head Syndrome, it may be more common in women than men, it can occur at all ages and has even been reported as early as less than 10 years of age, with an average age of 58 at first presentation.
Is waking up to loud noises Exploding Head Syndrome?
You may have exploding head syndrome if any of the following occurs
Woken up by a sudden loud noise or an explosion in your head, usually without any pain, and awakened suddenly in your sleep.
Note that it’s not that waking up to a non-existent loud noise in your sleep is Exploding Head Syndrome, but it can also be caused by other sleep disorders, mental health disorders, side effects of individual medications, substance abuse, some other illnesses, and so on.
Since it’s so complicated, how do you diagnose Exploding Head Syndrome?
How is Exploding Head Syndrome Diagnosed?
It’s important to note that it’s okay if it occurs once in a while, but if the condition occurs frequently and seriously disrupts sleep, then it’s time to go to the hospital.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis, your doctor will need to know when the symptoms started, but also how often they occur and how long they last, and also, be sure to tell your doctor about any past or current medications and drug use.
If there are any other sleep disorders then it is important to tell the doctor, the doctor will also need to know if any of the patient’s family members are having sleep problems, it would be helpful to fill out a two week sleep diary to aid in the diagnosis, the sleep diary will help the doctor to understand the sleep patterns, this data gives the doctor clues as to what is causing your problems and how to correct them.
People with exploding head syndrome do not usually need to be tested, if the person’s condition is really seriously affecting their sleep then they may need to have a sleep monitor called a polysomnogram. It will map your brain waves, heartbeat and breathing while the person sleeps, and will also record how your arms and legs move during sleep.
How to Treat Exploding Head Syndrome?
If the symptoms of Exploding Head Syndrome occur in the context of sleep deprivation, then the first thing to consider is getting more sleep each night, which will help to reduce the frequency of its attacks. Generally an adult needs 7 hours or more of sleep per night.
If the symptoms of explosive head syndrome are triggered by stress, consider relaxing before bed to relieve the stress. Try taking a short walk, reading, or another activity that suits your condition.
However, it is important to note that drinking alcohol is not a good stress reliever and can potentially lead to sleep disruption!
If none of these methods work, then it is advisable to visit a hospital and follow medical advice.
