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Exploding Head Syndrome (Hypnagogic Noises)

Shady said:
Mines a ringing and changes tone as well, wonder if it is connected
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That reminds me of my sole experience of sleep paralysis - which started with strange humming noises - that sounded to me like a distant powerstation on the blink. The sensation of no bodily movement did terrify me and I eventually closed my eyes before feeling dizzy. I then experienced the sensation of leaving the bed and reaching the ceiling before I jumped myself awake.
 
Hmmm ... So _that's_ what they mean by Exploding Head Syndrome ...

I'm quite familiar with it, as I've mentioned in other threads:

http://forum.forteantimes.com/index.php?threads/hearing-your-name-called.23785/page-4
http://forum.forteantimes.com/index.php?threads/madness-or-something-else.58590/

For me it's always occurred as a single percussive blast or bang with slight reverberation. I usually describe it as similar to:

- the cannon-in-the-elevator-shaft sound from Simon and Garfunkel's 'The Boxer' and / or ...
- the sound of someone dropping a heavy dictionary onto a marble floor in an acoustically live rotunda.

I've always experienced it as a hypnagogic event, sometimes (but not always) associated with a hypnagogic jerk / spasm. I've had plenty of such incidents with someone else in the bed who swore they'd heard nothing, so I'm confident it isn't simply transient environmental noise.

OneWingedBird: I also had a severe persistent migraine condition some decades ago. For me the auditory hypnagogic bang had no relationship / correlation with migraine episodes.
 
So perhaps I have had EHS. I know I have been awakened by a 'noise' or the idea of a noise, like a door slam or, as EnolaGaia has perhaps better described, a large book hitting a floor. I guess I never thought of these noises as explosions.
 
A gunshot. That's what it's always sounded like to me. A very loud gunshot, usually coupled with a sense of "CRACK!" in my head. Momentary pain, like a sharp shooting pain in my head, that disappears as I wake. And ALWAYS I'm coming out of a dream where I have been shot in the head. Ugh.

I've never had sleep paralysis, nor do I suffer from migraines. (Yes, I get headaches, but no more nor less than the average person). For YEARS I had no idea what it was - I discovered Exploding Head Syndrome only last year. I'd even half convinced myself I was experiencing a past life where I had been killed by being shot in the head because that was the dream I have always had when experiencing it.
 
Here's a new update / summary on the phenomenon ...

Hearing Crashes, Seeing Light: Life with Exploding Head Syndrome

The sound of an object crashing to the ground or the sight of a bright flash of light: These are some of the things that people with a condition called exploding head syndrome can sense, even though the events did not really occur, a new study finds.

Little is known about this startling syndrome, but it does appear to be more common than previously thought, said the study, which was published online April 6 in the journal Cephalalgia.

Despite the condition's name, no actual explosions take place when a person has exploding head syndrome. Rather, the phenomenon is considered to be a "sensory" sleep disorder, according to the study. ...
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FULL STORY: http://www.livescience.com/58800-exploding-head-syndrome.html
 
I was trying to fall asleep yesterday when my eyes were closed I kept ‘seeing’ a massive flash. Looking it up it’s related to exploding head syndrome. It was very off putting. I was worried about closing my eyes again.
 
MorningAngel said:
I was trying to fall asleep yesterday when my eyes were closed I kept ‘seeing’ a massive flash. Looking it up it’s related to exploding head syndrome. It was very off putting. I was worried about closing my eyes again.
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That's when I have it. I put it down to some sort of middle ear issue and just try and not focus on it or change my head position on the pillow. It usually works.
 
When the EHS/sleep paralysis roll along these days I just think 'Oh yeah, it's that again' and settle back down. I must be awake enough to remember what's going on.
 
MorningAngel said:
I was trying to fall asleep yesterday when my eyes were closed I kept ‘seeing’ a massive flash. Looking it up it’s related to exploding head syndrome. It was very off putting. I was worried about closing my eyes again.
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I get the flash associated with noises outside. So if I am dropping off to sleep and my dog hits her leg against the wall, I will 'hear' it as a flash of colour. But it's less so these days and I'm moving more into the beginning bit of sleep paralysis instead - where I am sort of dreaming that I can't move. I wonder if there's an age bearing on these things?
 
MorningAngel said:
I was trying to fall asleep yesterday when my eyes were closed I kept ‘seeing’ a massive flash. Looking it up it’s related to exploding head syndrome. It was very off putting. I was worried about closing my eyes again.
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I get a similar thing too sometimes when falling asleep, its very much like someone flashing a torch across my closed eyes.
 
I used to experience a flash and what seemed to be more of a sharp ripping sound than an explosion, usually when I was trying to go to sleep. It has hasn't happened for several years. I wonder whether it's stress-related. It seemed to coincide with the time I was caring for my grandmother in her last years.

I also heard my name called at bedtime. I doubt it was her because I can't hear much at all without my hearing aids.
 
I work up with such a fright this morning. It really sounded like someone had attacked one of our cars outside. After waiting a little while (if there was an attacker hopefully they’d have gone) I went down to check. Outside in my pjs at 6.15am and there was absolutely nothing amiss. I concluded it was exploding head syndrome. But it didn’t half give my heart a work out.
 
I have had EHS too. I started noticing it occurring frequently when I was 18. I often got the flashing lights and explosion noises. Later when I discovered Fortean Times I realised it had a name (EHS) and was quite common. I don't think I have had it for some years now, but I probably take more care of myself now than I did at 18.
 
I still get the explosions, but the pain has stopped, it seems to be the same noise as my tinnutus, and it is short, I can be walking around, doing anything and it suddenly happens, happened yesterday, seems to be on my right side, it is all part of my life now, but I often wonder what silence sounds like.
 
Shady said:
I still get the explosions, but the pain has stopped, it seems to be the same noise as my tinnutus, and it is short, I can be walking around, doing anything and it suddenly happens, happened yesterday, seems to be on my right side, it is all part of my life now, but I often wonder what silence sounds like.
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:oldm:
 
MorningAngel said:
Well I had one where my glasses exploded! That is very weird. I was sleeping so didn’t even have them on at the time.
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Please give us a bit more detail on this.

I wear glasses for much of the time (despite having no opthalmological propensity to use them for close-up purposes: ie I am constantly looking under/over or perching them 'pon my forehead, for all closeup contexts) and hence I often have to have my glasses off, but in ready proximity.

I've seen metal-framed glasses do a dramatic self-disassembly, if their lens retention frame-hoops become loose...all the coil-spring energy that's latently lurking in the passive constructed stability of their being, suddenly being liberated due to a threadless bolt becoming dislodged, and KABOOM the glasses look (and slightly sound) like they've just taken a sniper's round from next-door's attic window.

I have never owned a pair of solid-framed glasses (ie plastic or resin) [and on a related note, I've never worn sunglasses (other than brief ineffective episodes with clipons, which have been disappointing and pointless)] but my guess is, as per the paragraph above, you are a metal-framed specularity rather than a thick-framed plastic opticant. Am I right or am I totally right??

EDIT in our next exciting episode we bring you "disturbing intracranial noises generated by unconscious facial movements distorting metal-framed glasses"
 
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Ermintruder said:
Please give us a bit more detail on this.

I wear glasses for much of the time (despite having no opthalmological ability to use them for close-up purposes: ie I am constantly looking under/over or perching them on my forehead for all closeup contexts) and often have to have my glasses off, but in ready proximity.

I've seen metal-framed glasses do a dramatic self-disassembly, if their lens retention frame-hoops become loose...all the coil-spring energy that's latently lurking in the passive constructed stability of their being, suddenly being liberated due to a threadless bolt becoming dislodged, and KABOOM the glasses look like they've just taken a snipers round from next-door's attic window.

I have never owned a pair of solid-framed glasses (ie plastic or resin) [and on a related note, I've never worn sunglasses (other than brief ineffective episodes with clipons, which have been disappointing and pointless] but my guess is, as per the paragraph above, you are a metal-framed specularity rather than a thick-framed plastic opticant. Am I right or am I totally right??

EDIT in our next exciting episode we bring you "disturbing intracranial noises generated by unconscious facial movements distorting metal-framed glasses"
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You’re making the mistake that dreams make sense there. My actual glasses are metal frames but this wasn’t about them coming apart. This was like they actually exploded there on my face which woke me up.
 
catseye said:
I've had a resurgence of the hypnic jerk lately. I'm also suffering a bit with restless legs, between the two I get more exercise when I'm trying to sleep than I do when awake.
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Used to get restless leg syndrome but havent had it for a long time now, i heard bananas helped, started eating them and it went away, not sure if that is why or not.
 
Shady said:
Used to get restless leg syndrome but havent had it for a long time now, i heard bananas helped, started eating them and it went away, not sure if that is why or not.
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I think mine are mostly caused by too much standing and a slight pinched nerve in my lower back. It comes and goes. But I do eat quite a lot of bananas...
 
Havent had a head explosion for a long time now so thats good, still have the darned tinnitus, doubt ill ever be rid of that now, but can live with it, i kinda liked having my own personal angel quoir singing in my head, tho that as got a lot less just lately :( Hope you all are ok HUGS all around
 
I've been ill on and off for a few weeks (100-Day Cough etc) and sometimes fall asleep on t'sofa. The old exploding head has been kicking off. Reminds me to wake up and get off to bed.
 
escargot said:
I've been ill on and off for a few weeks (100-Day Cough etc) and sometimes fall asleep on t'sofa. The old exploding head has been kicking off. Reminds me to wake up and get off to bed.
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Ooh, get well soon. I escaped The Cough but had The Virus as a trade off, and felt wretched for ages. I hope it soon leaves you.
 
escargot said:
Yes, to be told by the Nurse Practitioner that it's a virus and will soon pass. That was last week.
Back to the doctor, or the Nurse Practitioner or the window cleaner or whoever I'm being palmed off on this time in the morning.
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You too? I keep getting palmed off with paramedics and Health Care Assistants. Where are the actual doctors?
 
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