Exploding Head Syndrome

[mfratt]

I've had this experience once every few nights for the past year or so. As I begin to fall asleep, a sudden perceived loud noise (it varies, could be a gun shot, explosion, clanging metal, or even a scream) awakens me in fright. I mean this noise is LOUD. It is painless, so its really just an annoyance in the long run. No one is certain what causes it, but it is believed to be a delay in fully switching the brain into the hypnagognic state, so you consciously "hear" these sounds in the waking state. http://www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.aspx?id=33

[ivey]

I have also experienced this. Many times it was in the form of footsteps throughout the house when nobody should have been walking around. A few times it's been the LOUD noise like you were talking about. Either way, it's pretty terrifying. I'm glad to say that I haven't experienced this in a while, but I don't want to jinx myself!!

[NeAvO]

I got to admit I laughed when I read the title, had a funny cartoon mental image. Anyway I thin I have experienced this once or twice. I kind of made me jump, I'm just glad I don't get it regulary.

[Unicorn]

I got to admit I laughed when I read the title, had a funny cartoon mental image. [/b] I thought this thread was about the famous exploding head scene from Cronenberg's Scanners Never had one of those.

[Xylaphonic]

I get this, but what usually wakes me is that I jump and breathe in, this makes me scared. Me breathing makes me scared, it sounds stupid I know! It may be the other way around, I think most people get it, its muscles relaxing, some people just dont remember it.

[Nintendofreak]

I don't have that persay, but I have something similar. A lot of times, right as I'm falling asleep, I'll be having a very light dream (not sure how to classify it, maybe a day dream). Usually I'll be walking, then suddenly I will trip and fall. It's really interesting how I am instantly snapped back into reality after tripping; I never hit the ground.

[Adanac]

I don't have that persay, but I have something similar. A lot of times, right as I'm falling asleep, I'll be having a very light dream (not sure how to classify it, maybe a day dream). Usually I'll be walking, then suddenly I will trip and fall. It's really interesting how I am instantly snapped back into reality after tripping; I never hit the ground. [/b] I get this maybe once a week. It's very intense but I love it. I don't really know why, but I find it interesting. I can never really remember falling, but at the same time I do. It's hard to explain. But It always gives me a surge of adrenaline. I never confuse the sensation with anything else, like being hit with something, I always know I fell. EDIT: I've also had the HS before so I know what you are talking about, but I find the falling much more disconcerting.

[Dark_Merlin]

I don't have that persay, but I have something similar. A lot of times, right as I'm falling asleep, I'll be having a very light dream (not sure how to classify it, maybe a day dream). Usually I'll be walking, then suddenly I will trip and fall. It's really interesting how I am instantly snapped back into reality after tripping; I never hit the ground. [/b] Oh. My. God. I have this happen to me all the time! I honestly find it amazing that someone else experiences the exact same thing! Normally I trip, but I know once it was when I kicked someone in the jewells

[Xylaphonic]

Yes, that's what I get, it's wierd isnt it!

[QwinsepiaSquared]

I get stuff like this sometimes, but it's mostly voices yelling at me. Kinda scary you don't know who the voices are or if you know they're coming from someone who's dead.

[Xylaphonic]

I get stuff like this sometimes, but it's mostly voices yelling at me. Kinda scary you don't know who the voices are or if you know they're coming from someone who's dead. [/b] I dont think they will be from the dead, that's just me, I dont really believe that they talk to you in your sleep. I hve voices yell at me, mabye it's my paranoia, I actualky have all the symptoms of paranoia!

[Marvo]

It's called hypnagogic sound, or in DV term, HS. It's typically a sound that you hear, maybe a gunshot, an explosion, footsteps, even people talking. It's normal and not to be feared and no reason to consider yourself insane for hearing. I've tried it myself, and I must admit it was an exciting experience. It didn't really terrify me though.

[blade5x]

If I think what you are talking about... its not the regular shutters that wake you up sometimes. There was a morning where I was coming out of a dream (non-lucid). It faded into blackness. Then for a second I knew "it" was coming. CRASH!!!!!!! Sounded like very, very loud thunder. I jolted awake with my heart racing. As I wake up, I am very surprised because it's a sunny morning. I then thought to myself that maybe something like an airplane crashed nearby, so I stick my head out the window waiting to hear sirens and fire trucks - but nothing. I sat there puzzled, and just forgot about it. It was so unbelievably loud. The usual jolts are like what someone mentioned above, where I will be having a very light dream, and fall over. I'll reach out my arms to break my fall and then my entire body shutters. This loud crash happened in pitch blackness. I'm glad it's only happened to me once in my life.

[DMART]

I have had this happen a few times. The first time was the most intense because I was not sure what it was. The first time I thought for sure I was awakened by a gun shot. I even got out of the bed waiting to hear more noises that might follow a gun shot, such as screaming, a speeding car, sirens. I heard nothing but absolute silence. It was not untill it happen to me again that I was absolutely sure it was from my dreams and not from the outside world. Amazing how our brains can cause excitement, feelings and sound with nothing trigging them from the real world.

[King and God]

Weird. I haven't had that happen to myself. It sounds like a cool experience, though.

[Infraredkelp]

Weird. I haven't had that happen to myself. It sounds like a cool experience, though. [/b] Trust me, there's nothing cool about it. It's really scary and makes you afraid of dozing off again.

[hyper0105]

I thought this thread was about the famous exploding head scene from Cronenberg's Scanners[/b] Me too I think I may have had one of these before, I'm not too sure though

[blindfold_off]

I experience something like it should be noise but it goes of like a flash(camera flash) in my head.

[Colin Basnett]

I've had this, it was the shattering of glass and it was incredibly loud, like it was in my room. Luckilly I sort of knew what it was, though I was just listening for the sounds of people stealing our stuff.

[M-Cat]

I made a topic on this once. It's perfectly normal. Sometimes it may also manifest itself in other forms apart from explosions as well; for example, I once heard one of my teachers screaming in a really loud shrill voice xD

[Adanac]

I just had this liast night. Scared me right good.

[Aesir]

Not exactly, but I do hear random noises.

[Datafield]

Is there a scientific explanation as to why this happens? I personally don't recall something like this ever happening to me. However, every once in a while I'll see a large flicker of light right before I'm about to doze off. It is then often followed by the sensation of falling back into bed. I can certainly understand why this kind of thing would perhaps make a person afraid of dozing off again... At least temporarily.

[sloth]

I've experienced it. I have always felt that it was related to when all your muscles relax at once, and you feel like your falling. So, in this regard, it would seem to be something like what you are talking about.

[Infraredkelp]

When I have them, it's usually like 5 minutes into a dream, then BAM! I wake up instantly.