Have you ever woken-up in a cold sweat, disoriented, with your heart pounding because you heard an extremely loud noise or voice calling your name – only to realize the sound was in your head?

If you have, then you’ve experienced “Exploding Head Syndrome.”

J.M.S. Pearce, a British neurologist, dubbed the condition – honestly, that’s its name, and he and other doctors have done a fair amount of research on the topic.

To qualify as an Exploding Head Syndrome episode:

• The noise or shouting has to be LOUD.  CRASH! BANG! BOOM! KAPOW!
• It has to awaken you.
• It must seem very, very real.
• It occurs an hour or two after you fall asleep. 

The syndrome is a type of insomnia and is most likely the result of stress or extreme fatigue, but really isn’t serious.

Doctors think that many more people suffer from Exploding Head Syndrome than report it. And, most folks feel better the minute they hear others have experienced the same phenomena and that they aren’t going crazy or suffering a brain-related malady, so I am spreading the word to make everyone feel better . . .

If you wake-up to loud, imaginary bumps in the night, it’s okay. Take a deep breath, slowly, in through your nose, out through your nose, and go back to sleep. Everything is okay. 

Exploding Head Syndrome is easy to cure:

• reduce the stress in your life
• don’t let yourself get too tired. 

Easier said, than done – but manageable nonetheless, and probably better than hearing the sleep-shattering sound effects our brains are capable of creating.