Scientists find exploding head syndrome common in younger generation

New York -Science explains that ‘Exploding Head Syndrome’ is a sleep disorder, an occurrence when a person is jolted awake by a super loud sound. Such sounds could be associated with a thunderstorm, a gunshot, a bang or a loud explosion. These sounds may appear to be real but are solely generated within the mind of the person experiencing it or in short are hallucinatory.

The American Sleep Association held view that the Exploding Head Syndrome is common in mainly older population, but a new study revealed that the younger generation is as much as inflicted with the disease. Study author Brian Sharpless, an assistant professor and director of the Washington State University psychology clinic said that at least one in five people suffer from this sleep disorder.

The Study consisted of 211 students, who were diagnosed with the syndrome. Astonishingly, nearly 18% of the students said that they experience a loud noise and were awakened from their sleep at least once in the lifetime.

Sharpless said that there is still a lack of information about the condition and its possible remedies. He went on to say that only a few researchers or clinicians have been able to assess it, but the progress on finding empirical support treatments is not yet made. He added that the lack of information pushes sufferers of this condition to believe in conspiracy theories or an occurrence of an unnatural event.

Sharpless explains that the event is scary to such an extent that it prevents patients from sharing their experiences with a spouse, friends or loved ones. According to medical experts, exploding head syndrome takes place as a result of the brain’s inability to shut down before going to bed or starting up while walking.

Sharpless reasoned that the loud noises were caused due to sudden activation of all of the auditory neurons at once for lack of a proper shutdown. He said that spreading more information about the syndrome could help patients overcome fear and may reduce its frequency.