Waking up with loud sounds to find no one around? Science has answers for it

Explosives, gun shots, thunder, a door slammed with full force —many people hear these sounds just when they are about to sleep. Though the sound does not cause any real damage to one’s brain and ears, it can cause mild irritation to feelings of panic for the person who experiences it.

Experts aren’t very sure about what causes it but they have a name for it ‘exploding head syndrome’.

The phenomenon is usually experienced when one is drifting into or out of sleep and can also be accompanied by other physical symptoms.

As per The Conversation, it can include a brief but sharp pain in the head, sensations of electricity running through the body and other unusual feelings. 

However, it only lasts for a few seconds for most people.

Because of its suddenness, the phenomenon has been understood as parasomnia, a disruptive sleep pattern.

What might be causing it?

While the experts can’t point out one certain cause behind the strange phenomenon, there have been multiple theories around it.

Some scientists have attributed it to the shutting down of neural pathways, a process similar to shutting down all the lights in a huge hall, all at once.

As per studies, this shutting down could inhibit the sensory and auditory processing and the brain could have a ‘glitch’ like moment and interpret this as a loud noise.

Another school of thought proposes a brief reduction in the activity of the brainstem, one that regulates the transition between wakefulness and sleep. 

As per Cleveland Clinic, it could be some unexpected electric activity in the brain or the brain mistakenly waking the person who is diving into deep sleep. 

How to know if you are having one?

Explosive head syndrome is more common than one thinks. However, its distinctive features make it stand out from other serious and complex conditions. 

• The sound is explosive in nature. It could resemble a gunshot, a loud bang, a thunderstorm and others.

• It only occurs for a few seconds and can make a person feel disoriented for a brief period. 

• It can be accompanied by muscular jerks or flashes of light.

• It can make one breathe faster or become anxious.

• Once it has passed, the person becomes normal and heart rate normalizes.

Most importantly, the phenomenon is benign and does not cause any real damage to the brain and body. 

Though it can happen to anyone, it is most common among those who are emotionally stressed or sleep deprived.