Who here has this?

[Al Swearegen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome

I do. It is crappy but I have not suffered with it for a while.

Glad when i found out.

["couldbecousin"]

 I don't have it, but have read about it and am intrigued by it while being very grateful not to have it.

 It must have been a relief to find out what was happening. 

[Callaway]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome

I do. It is crappy but I have not suffered with it for a while.

Glad when i found out.

That sounds awful.  How do you deal with it?

I don't, but I do have tinnitus.  That happens all the time, although it's not nearly that loud.

[eris]

At first I thought it was a joke and read it and Ive heard of similar things. Sometimes it can be related to inner ear problems I think. Ive never had it but sometimes I suddenly jerk awake right after I fall asleep and hear a huge crash.

"Sufferers may experience an inability to vocalize any sound, or mild forms of sleep paralysis during an attack."

Ive had issues with sleep paralysis and wonder if there is a connection between this, exploding head syndrome and jerking awake like that

I hope not, sure dont want my head to explode.

["couldbecousin"]

 Your head won't really explode.  When do you have your episodes of sleep paralysis?  Mine happen just as I'm falling asleep,
 which means I can snap myself out of them in seconds, just by twitching a leg.  Sleep paralysis is fascinating!   

[eris]

I have had sleep paralysis when Ive been a lazy fuck and try to sleep too much. If I sleep way too much I sometimes have a hard time "snapping out of it" when i wake up and cannot move or speak for a few minutes. What I do is start concentrating on being able to move my face muscles -  twitching my eyes, then my face and I eventually snap out of it.

["couldbecousin"]

I have had sleep paralysis when Ive been a lazy fuck and try to sleep too much. If I sleep way too much I sometimes have a hard time "snapping out of it" when i wake up and cannot move or speak for a few minutes. What I do is start concentrating on being able to move my face muscles -  twitching my eyes, then my face and I eventually snap out of it.

 Do you hear a high-pitched ringing that gets louder and scarier?   

[eris]

No I dont really hear anything I dont think. I only hear the loud noises when I jump awake after I fall asleep.

I once had an issue where it lasted a few hours, but i was kind of dreaming but kind of not. I could see the room I was in and i was awake but my mind was buzzing and having weird dream thoughts.

[Al Swearegen]

To be honest.
OK I may as well say it. I did think for a good time that I was going crazy. The episodes would frighten me in the way that someone suddenly jumping behind you and screaming boo might frighten you. Except about 10 times worse. Heart would race and what have you and all muscles bunched tight. That was not nearly the worse thing. What scared shit out of me is that it made no sense.

Here is how it goes. You are comfy in your bed you are dropping off to sleep the mind is shutting down and body relaxing. Then....
Someone in the dark hits you with mo little impact hard on the top of the head with a thick wooden board and you hear the sound and "feel" the impact the body reacts accordingly. Head forced down into your neck from the impact, legs raised up, arms pressed protectively in.....then nothing. You have had the impact but no pain. The only physical sensation is the bunched up muscles and the ultra sensitive state and the racing of your heart. There is no pain.
There was impact and sound but no pain or weapon or wielder of such a weapon.
So WTF?

I used to look for burglars. I can remember a couple of times thinking. Fuck! What if I WAS hit, heard it before passing out and now I have woken after the pain has shifted thinking I was not knocked out and in the meantime the burglar is still perhaps around? Nope.
Maybe there was something falling over nearby making a crash and it just felt close? Nope.

To be honest until I read about this condition I thought I was losing my mind and not so happy about the prospect.

It tends to happen when i am suffering from insomnia and/or when stressed with life (ironically that is not something that soothes)

As to what to do. Now I just grumble at it. I guess you all may find that hard to imagine.   

["couldbecousin"]

 For me, the sleep paralysis starts with the ringing, which grows louder and fills me with a growing sense of dread.
 Occasionally I will hear a rushing/roaring sound instead.  I become fearful and HAVE to stop the noise!
 Fortunately I can snap out of this state easily as I said.  Also, maybe you DO have exploding head syndrome! 

[eris]

To be honest.
OK I may as well say it. I did think for a good time that I was going crazy. The episodes would frighten me in the way that someone suddenly jumping behind you and screaming boo might frighten you. Except about 10 times worse. Heart would race and what have you and all muscles bunched tight. That was not nearly the worse thing. What scared shit out of me is that it made no sense.

Here is how it goes. You are comfy in your bed you are dropping off to sleep the mind is shutting down and body relaxing. Then....
Someone in the dark hits you with mo little impact hard on the top of the head with a thick wooden board and you hear the sound and "feel" the impact the body reacts accordingly. Head forced down into your neck from the impact, legs raised up, arms pressed protectively in.....then nothing. You have had the impact but no pain. The only physical sensation is the bunched up muscles and the ultra sensitive state and the racing of your heart. There is no pain.
There was impact and sound but no pain or weapon or wielder of such a weapon.
So WTF?

I used to look for burglars. I can remember a couple of times thinking. Fuck! What if I WAS hit, heard it before passing out and now I have woken after the pain has shifted thinking I was not knocked out and in the meantime the burglar is still perhaps around? Nope.
Maybe there was something falling over nearby making a crash and it just felt close? Nope.

To be honest until I read about this condition I thought I was losing my mind and not so happy about the prospect.

It tends to happen when i am suffering from insomnia and/or when stressed with life (ironically that is not something that soothes)

As to what to do. Now I just grumble at it. I guess you all may find that hard to imagine.   

WTF indeed. Now that I think about it, I do have a feeling of dread. It is an awful feeling not being able to control your own body and I panic a bit. The only thing that seems to be missing for me is the noise

you're not loosing your mind

[Osensitive1]

Don't have it and have never heard of it. Sounds scary.

[Al Swearegen]

To be honest.
OK I may as well say it. I did think for a good time that I was going crazy. The episodes would frighten me in the way that someone suddenly jumping behind you and screaming boo might frighten you. Except about 10 times worse. Heart would race and what have you and all muscles bunched tight. That was not nearly the worse thing. What scared shit out of me is that it made no sense.

Here is how it goes. You are comfy in your bed you are dropping off to sleep the mind is shutting down and body relaxing. Then....
Someone in the dark hits you with mo little impact hard on the top of the head with a thick wooden board and you hear the sound and "feel" the impact the body reacts accordingly. Head forced down into your neck from the impact, legs raised up, arms pressed protectively in.....then nothing. You have had the impact but no pain. The only physical sensation is the bunched up muscles and the ultra sensitive state and the racing of your heart. There is no pain.
There was impact and sound but no pain or weapon or wielder of such a weapon.
So WTF?

I used to look for burglars. I can remember a couple of times thinking. Fuck! What if I WAS hit, heard it before passing out and now I have woken after the pain has shifted thinking I was not knocked out and in the meantime the burglar is still perhaps around? Nope.
Maybe there was something falling over nearby making a crash and it just felt close? Nope.

To be honest until I read about this condition I thought I was losing my mind and not so happy about the prospect.

It tends to happen when i am suffering from insomnia and/or when stressed with life (ironically that is not something that soothes)

As to what to do. Now I just grumble at it. I guess you all may find that hard to imagine.   

WTF indeed. Now that I think about it, I do have a feeling of dread. It is an awful feeling not being able to control your own body and I panic a bit. The only thing that seems to be missing for me is the noise

you're not loosing your mind

Thanks....well not losing it at any greater rate.  (But yes seriously i thought I was coming down with Schizophrenia or something)

[Queen Victoria]

All of what you all have posted sounds frightening at the very least.  Thankfully I don't have any of these problems aside from being a night owl person, married to a rooster.

[midlifeaspie]

That sounds awful.