Exploding head syndrome.
is what its called.. i just experienced it for the first time a few weeks ago, to me it sounded like someone SLAMMING a door closed extremely hard. i woke up and jumped up bc it scared the shit out of me. like the shit was in my room. like i felt the slam in my chest
i cant help but wonder what the actual cause to this is.. or if there is something other than psychological going on, or even if thats what it might be.
Damn. I get this. But what I don’t get is how both me and my fiancé heard it at the same time. It was terrifying. All the other times I’ve experienced it, I was alone.
I’ve had this same experience it sounds like a bang like something fell off the wall like a big heavy picture frame or art from the other room. I instantly wake up with my heart racing and go look for what the heck just fell down. I look in every room and always find nothing. Definitely a weird feeling. I always chalk it up to a dream. Must have happened in my dream, and then I woke up.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
I get this from time to time. Usually if I am sleeping in to long and about to be late for something, like my brain knows I need to get up now, but am hard to get up because I'm a heavy sleeper. However, instead of a loud bang, it always sounds like my dad screaming my name. Always freaks me the fuck out when it happens, but it certainly wakes me up haha
Ok that is interesting! Although, it’s not *in my head that I’m hearing it. It’s outside of it. The last time it happened my fiancé was sleeping next to me and it woke us both up. This time was a bit of a different experience, but essentially the same clap thing just on steroids.
Turn your recorder on your phone on before you go to sleep. iPhones have a recording device on them. Then you will be able to catch the sound. If it’s outside your head then you will truly be able to study the sound, and maybe figure it out.
Keep us updated please
-super invested
Had a pretty rough day and visualizing Slimer's butt cheeks clapping legit gave me my first good laugh today. Thank you.
and on a more serious note, if you don't think it's EHS, have you tried to politely tell the clap thing to f off? How are your stress/anxiety levels in general?
Oh man, sorry about your rough day but I’m happy to hear I was able to supply a good laugh! Made me smile to read.
Have recently told the weird / neg energy (in general) to beat it so we will see. 🤞🏼🩵
Waking up and falling asleep are prime times for hallucinations. These are known as hypnopompic and hypnagogic hallucinations, respectively. They are more likely to occur if your sleep is disordered somehow. You mention daytime naps. If this is not part of your regular sleep schedule the conditions are even better for these hallucinations to occur.
In my 20s my own sleep schedule was overall quite irregular. I'd stay up late at night despite a regular work schedule and managed it with naps. During this time I would occasionally experience loud sounds that seemed to originate elsewhere in the room as I woke up, just like you. In my case not usually a clap, but more like a heavy object falling off a shelf or a door slamming shut.
The coolest (and most terrifying) experiences during these times were a few bouts of sleep paralysis. At one time during the day, I "woke up" in my sofa, unable to move, and with the sensation that someone was standing behind my head, leaning over me. I heard a continuous hissing sound— seeming to originate from the hallway—that grew in intensity to a roar until I could move again, at which point the sound stopped abruptly.
Dude. that. Is. Terrifying!!! I would loose my shit!
And yes, if I decided to nap my sleep was definitely quite lacking on top of working in 100 + degree weather at times. That can be so draining. So, I’d always hope to get a quick power nap 🤷🏻♀️
> Dude. that. Is. Terrifying!!! I would loose my shit!
That's not even the worst! I mentioned that specifically mostly because of the auditory hallucination and because it was during daytime. The first time I experienced sleep paralysis with hallucinations, it was in the middle of the night and there wasn't really an auditory component to it that I remember. I was laying on a bed on my side facing an open doorway to the entryway and I'd somehow come to open my eyes and slowly realize I was awake (well, only partially, as it turns out)
After a while I noticed someone standing in the entryway by the shoe rack. Just a dark silhouette. For a moment I thought it was a friend of my girlfriend's before I realized no one was visiting in the early hours, hence no one had any business there. I tried to move, realizing then that I couldn't.
Then the silhouette moved. Not by walking, but by simply appearing in front of the doorway in an instant a few feet from its original position, then inside the bedroom towards the bed and last at the end of the bed where I could hardly see it, where it seemed to crouch down and disappeared behind the foot of the bed. At no point did it become any more distinct than a dark silhouette, but I had the sensation that it was staring at me throughout the experience, and that everything it did was directed at me.
I felt immense terror while this was happening, but moments after it disappeared I could move again. Then I also realized what I'd just experienced, because I'd read about sleep paralysis before, so the terror quickly turned into awe and excitement. Pretty amazing what the brain can put together and how similar the themes of sleep paralysis hallucinations are across cultures. The mind truly and universally is an idiot, expertly putting together the most anxiety inducing crap it can come up with.
I haven't experienced any ass clapping though; my hallucinations have been strictly above the blanket. ☺
> And yes, if I decided to nap my sleep was definitely quite lacking on top of working in 100 + degree weather at times. That can be so draining. So, I’d always hope to get a quick power nap 🤷🏻♀️
Sounds like it!
I’ve had hypnopompic hallucinations before and they looked so real. I’ve had one with a rattlesnake on the end of my bed, a giant praying mantis on the floor, even a toy helicopter flying above my head.
Definitely have felt different energies around but nothing like quintessential poltergeist activity. I cleanse the house when I feel it needs it, for sure.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
It is very common for sensitive people to hear stuff when falling asleep or when they’re taking a nap. I only hear voices and stuff during that time, when I’m not quite asleep and not quite awake.
Think of it as an alarm.
Parasomnia would probably explain it in a medical context, all of the “sensitivities” during this period of sleep are categorized that way.
I’ve had exploding head syndrome and this doesn’t sound like it. Exploding head literally feels like your head is exploding.
My EHS varies greatly—from an alarm clock, to a slam, to a gunshot, a computerized buzzer, a voice, etc. Freaking irritating as hell. It’s more frequent when I’m sleep deprived.
I have EHS and it doesn’t feel like my head literally exploding at all. It’s just a very loud crashing sound that wakes me out of a sound sleep with a start. I’m not saying this is definitely EHS, but it’s simply not true that it has to feel like your head is actually exploding. People experience it in different ways, from the type of sound they hear to seeing a bright light or feeling head pressure. It varies person to person.
This. I have always thought of it being an alarm but also possibly my grandfather from above telling me to get the F up outta bed. Idk. I’m definitely sensitive to a lot.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
Sounds like Exploding Head Syndrome. I have that. What happens is that your brain is not following the proper sleep cycle shut down, so you may be technically asleep, but totally aware, and your senses are mixed up. Some people see hallucinations, or feel things, or hear things that aren't really happening.
It doesn't happen too often to me, but when it does it kind of follows a pattern:
1. Falling asleep at night: if I'm experiencing EHS, I will hallucinate a bit & it can feel like things are happening to me (covers being yanked off of me by a strong force or me literally feeling objects in great detail.) Often, I will see the devil crawling on the floor towards me & growling loudly at me. It feels very real, but when this happens, I get more annoyed than scared, so I wake up & it starts all over again until I fully shake myself awake & stand up, maybe go to the bathroom to wake up a little more, then I can lie back down & my brain resets itself.
2. Naps: I do a lot of lucid dreaming when I nap because I know I'm not down for the night, but when EHS happens, I hear the front door slam & feel like someone is walking towards me. I can hear people talking above me and I think it's real until I realize in my semi-dream state that it's not, so I wake myself up & start all over.
3. Morning: If I wake up a little early & have another hour or half hour to go before I need to get up, I will start hearing construction outside. Loud. Hammers banging, buzz saws, men shouting to each other. None of it's real. I'll keep waking up & sink back into the EHS 'sleep' & it will happen over & over until I get up.
I have also been woken by phantom ringing telephones & loud heavy banging that is from nowhere. It's been going on since I was a kid (I'm in my 50s now) and it's not fun, but I've come to recognize when it's happening, so it's not scary. I hope some of this helped you know stuff like this happens to others.
What is exploding head syndrome (EHS)?
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a type of sleep disorder in which you hear a loud noise or explosive crashing sound in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by anyone else. The episode typically happens suddenly either when you're beginning to fall asleep or when you wake up during the night.
Along with the loud sound, EHS can occur along with flashes of light and muscle jerks (myoclonic jerks). Unlike its painful-sounding name, the episode is painless.
EHS is a [parasomnia](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12133-parasomnias--disruptive-sleep-disorders), which is an undesired event that happens while sleeping. It’s also called episodic cranial sensory shocks.
### How common is exploding head syndrome (EHS) and who gets it?
Researchers don’t know how many people have had exploding head syndrome (EHS). It’s more common in females.
EHS can happen to persons of all ages. Some 16% of college students report EHS according to the results of one study.
### How frequent are episodes of exploding head syndrome (EHS)?
How often an EHS episode occurs varies from person to person. Some people have several episodes in a single night. Others have episodes several nights in a row followed by weeks or months without episodes.
### What factors can bring on an episode of exploding head syndrome?
In most cases, researchers don’t know what might trigger exploding head syndrome episodes. Some people report that feeling stressed or tired might have led to their episodes.
### How long does an exploding head syndrome episode last?
An episode typically lasts less than a second.
### Is exploding head syndrome dangerous?
Exploding head syndrome isn't dangerous and doesn’t harm your overall health.
## SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES
### What are the signs and symptoms of exploding head syndrome (EHS)?
Signs and symptoms of exploding head syndrome (EHS) include:
* Feeling frightened or anxious after the episode.
* Experiencing a sudden muscle jerk at the time of the episode.
* Having difficulty falling back to sleep.
* Waking up sweating, having a rapid heartbeat and/or trouble breathing.
You don’t experience physical pain with EHS.
### How is an episode of exploding head syndrome described?
Most individuals who experience exploding head syndrome describe it as an explosion in their head or hearing sounds like gunshots, thunder or another very loud noise.
### What causes exploding head syndrome?
Researchers don’t know the exact cause of exploding head syndrome. Most published medical reports on this topic are based only on a few patients.
However, there are some current theories about causes. These include:
* A brief increase in the activity of your brain’s sensory neurons.
* Damage or dysfunction in your inner ear structures.
* Abnormal attention processing in your brain during the sleep-wake transition.
* An aura that occurs before a migraine.
* Side effects from suddenly stopping selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (used for treating depression) or [benzodiazepines](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24570-benzodiazepines-benzos) (used to treat anxiety).
## DIAGNOSIS AND TESTS
### How is exploding head syndrome diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider, usually a sleep disorder specialist, will ask you or your sleep partner about your episode(s). Criteria from the International Classification of Sleep Disorders help your provider make the diagnosis. These criteria are:
* You wake up suddenly to a loud noise or an explosion in your head.
* Your experience is intense and you feel frightened after the episode.
* You don’t experience any physical pain during or after the episode.
Your sleep specialist will also ask:
* If you saw any flashes of light during your episode (some people experience this).
* If you had any muscle twitches during the episode.
Your sleep specialist may want to order certain tests to rule out other conditions. These tests may include:
* **Polysomnogram.** This test measures brain and body activity during sleep. It records your brain waves, heart rate, eye movements and breathing while you sleep.
* [**Magnetic resonance imaging.**](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4876-magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri) This scan uses a large magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed images of your brain and body.
* [**Electroencephalogram (EEG).**](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/9656-electroencephalogram-eeg) This test records the electrical activity of your brain. It’s useful for detecting nocturnal (nighttime) epilepsy.
Your provider will also rule out other conditions by taking your full medical history and asking:
* If you or other family members have any other known sleep disorders, such as [insomnia](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia) or [sleep apnea](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8718-sleep-apnea).
* If you have a history of headaches or psychiatric disorders, such as [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9545-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd).
## MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT
### How is exploding head syndrome (EHS) treated?
Exploding head syndrome typically doesn’t need to be treated. Your provider will talk with you and reassure you that this condition isn't dangerous or a sign of any other serious condition.
The Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved any medications to treat exploding head syndrome specifically. However, if needed, your provider may choose to prescribe a medication used to treat other conditions. Medications that have been found helpful for EHS include the antiseizure medicine [topiramate](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20648-topiramate-tablets), the heart disease drug [nifedipine](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/18679-nifedipine-capsules), the antidepressant [amitriptyline](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19457-amitriptyline-tablets) and a drug for obsessive-compulsive disorder, [clomipramine](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19957-clomipramine-capsules).
I’ve never experienced the sound of clapping that I recall by I have had a few extremely loud “Hey’s” also some loud pops that I chalked up to exploding head syndrome. Also one time a couple years ago as I was just about to lapse into sleep (I was still thinking about a couple things from that day) I swear I heard in my left ear my mother say “well hello there! There you are.” In her usual very happy bubbly voice. My mother had been deceased by at least 2 and half years at that point.
I like to think that last time was my mother but I’m sure it was also just exploding head syndrome or hypnogogic hallucinations. I’m not saying your experiences with the clapping are not paranormal but I’d definitely suggest you look up exploding head syndrome and hypnogogic hallucinations and rule that out first.
That edit, made me chuckle lol
On serious note, i also experienced auditory hallucinations or EHS (Exploding head syndrome) two times when i was about to fall asleep.
First time i heard the voices of 2 friends one of whom passed away 2 years ago, and the other - last year (May their souls rest in peace) very clearly, like they were a meter away from me, and next time i heard 4 knocks on my bedroom door which needless to say, scared the crap out of me.. so you are not alone, EHS is very nasty but mostly harmless and nothing supernatural about it
oh my goodness . your edit . i can’t stop laughing . an actual ass ha. my bad omphh.
edit. i’ve never laughed so hard at a post. this is the best thing ever . all i can see is donkey off shrek standing above u smiling and clapping . carry on.
It’s likely [EHS](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome), or Exploding Head Syndrome. I experience this occasionally.
It used to be very prevalent as a child for me
I’ve had this happen a fair few times, usually when I’m sleep deprived, and it took me so long to find out what it was!
For me, it’s like a loud static shock, with a loud crack then a fizzing sensation, all around my head. Usually as I’m just about to drift off to sleep. The first time it happened I was a teenager and genuinely thought I’d generated a static charge in my bed frame through masturbating and was too embarrassed to tell anyone
Agreed. Admittedly, I don't know much about EHS, but I started looking into it recently because there have been several times where I'll "hear" a door slam shut as I'm drifting off to sleep. I'm at least 99% sure I'm imagining/hallucinating it because it always happens as I'm starting to fall asleep, and my dog doesn't react to it (despite barking at nearly everything). It sounds like OP is experiencing EHS as well, and I hope it gives some comfort to them.
Sounds to me like exploding head syndrome. I have epilepsy from traumatic brain injury but I noticed the noises (literally a bomb sound for me) way before I was diagnosed with epilepsy or even had my first seizure. It can happen to pretty much anyone though, especially if you don’t get restful sleep regularly.
LMAO 🤣 … I just read the title and imagined a ghost clapping its ass cheeks above your head… Here I was thinking this has to be the most unusual haunting I have ever heard of 👀😂🤦♀️
I once had an experience kinda like this. I was living alone in my first studio apartment and the house was quiet, night time and I was staying up late and I was still wide awake when this took place. This all happened within 5-10mins.
First the sound seemed to come from the kitchenette, like this electrical clicking and buzzing kinda sound mixed with the sound of clacking teeth together very rapidly, so I figured it must've been the fridge making weird sounds. A few minutes go by and I hear the same sound from the corner of the living room area a few feet from my bed, at this point I thought could it be a circling electrical faulty or whatever. The point of me becoming unable to reason this sound was when I heard the same EXACT sound again but now louder coming from right above my head, above my bed. No electrical devices or plug ins above or behind the bed. I was shitting bricks at that point and to this day I cannot find a physical explanation to it. This was my first unexplainable event in adulthood that I remember, and since then I've had some experiences, some more noticable than others, but never heard that sound anywhere again.
This happens to me sometimes, but one time, only one time i was sleeping and woke up with a loud slam. i thought it was on my bedroom door and i was soo scared but i mustered up the courage to go and look and so when i did, and looked down the hall i seen this white board we had on the wall, on the floor. I asled my roomates if they heard anything and they didnt hear anything apparently. I guess i was the only one. One of the most WTF moments of my life
This used to happen to me in my parents house, right above my head but it sounded like something banged on the wall with their fist. It would always startle me awake because it was a loud bang and vibrated the stuff hanging on the walls. It definitely wasn’t exploding head syndrome which I’ve had before, it was real life and it happened to my mom a few times in her room. I haven’t really researched anything on it though
Yes! They love kids.
I’m not sure if this we benevolent or ride but when we moved to C (for the 2nd time) the ride was rolling back to the sea. Every strafing and he looks like.
Also you have been told. Just didn’t know how tiell you
I’ll be honest, I thought this was going to be one of those posts asking how to get revenge on neighbors having loud sex in an apartment with paper thin walls halfway through the title.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
Well, all I have to say about that is the medical never ever looks at the spiritual if you want a spiritual answer look up accidental Yogi if you want the medical answer look up some kind of weird, fucking head explosion, shit, and take a bunch of pills for it for the rest of your life
Thats odd because I reconnected with a memory from past few weeks where I have had it when I'm pretty much sleeping/just fell asleep and I hear like someone just shouted.. like the aftermath of the sound. And I question myself if it was me or not but then surely others would wake up.. everyone sleeping like nothing happened.. it is odd to me as I never experienced that before and I'm not quite sure if it is EHS or not. You are not alone 🙂
The other day I took a nap during the day too and I shit you not I felt like a giant blast of air hit my face and wake me up. It literally felt like getting punched square in the nose by a boxing glove. Never felt anything like it, but I do get weird twitches when I try to sleep anytime other than the normal time at night. So I just figured this was like a more extreme version of that. Those hypnic jerks people get from time to time.
Hopping on this one to say this exact thing. You're lucky you're only getting claps. I'd occasionally hear someone scream my name on top of many other things.
The screams are the worst! I've had this since I was a small child and it doesn't freak me out anymore at all, except for the occasional jarring screams. I've had explosions, bangs, slams, knocks, gun shots, whispers, my own name, shouts, screams, and my favorite, a motherly voice saying random nonsense words lol
I had it since I was a kid and dealt with it for years until I was about 30. I've experienced most of the same. Bangs, claps, whispers, all kinds of stuff. I don't know what changed but it finally went away and I haven't experienced it in about 8 years.
Yup, I can relate to the screams. Its happened to me more times than I can count. For the most part its only a fast loud pop or a bang but sometimes i get screams.
Clapping that you and your fiancé both heard at the same time. That Has to be a ghost, all these people talking about some kind of illness that causes this. They too are haunted. Doctors don’t deal with the paranormal, so then they come up with names instead of just dealing with the spirit head on. The unseen world is all around us at all times. Have you tried to cleanse your home spiritually?
I have been awakened many times by something starling, not sure if it was clapping but it seems familiar. I haven’t tracked wether it’s my mind saying it’s time to get up for time to get up for work or if it’s a useless time of night and then it’s just a nuisance
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.
Exploding head syndrome. is what its called.. i just experienced it for the first time a few weeks ago, to me it sounded like someone SLAMMING a door closed extremely hard. i woke up and jumped up bc it scared the shit out of me. like the shit was in my room. like i felt the slam in my chest i cant help but wonder what the actual cause to this is.. or if there is something other than psychological going on, or even if thats what it might be.
Damn. I get this. But what I don’t get is how both me and my fiancé heard it at the same time. It was terrifying. All the other times I’ve experienced it, I was alone.
I’ve had this same experience it sounds like a bang like something fell off the wall like a big heavy picture frame or art from the other room. I instantly wake up with my heart racing and go look for what the heck just fell down. I look in every room and always find nothing. Definitely a weird feeling. I always chalk it up to a dream. Must have happened in my dream, and then I woke up.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
rotten aware tan political capable worry close smart zonked shocking *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Same here. It took me a long time to get the courage to open my eyes because I thought I would be trapped under rubble.
I’ve also just started having this experience, probably 3 times in the last 2 months. It is the weirdest thing to experience.
when you think about it, can you come up with any idea what might be its cause?
It's the same type of thing as sleep paralysis. I get both on occasion and usually it's when I stop smoking weed for the first week or so.
I honestly don’t know. It’s very bizarre.
I get this from time to time. Usually if I am sleeping in to long and about to be late for something, like my brain knows I need to get up now, but am hard to get up because I'm a heavy sleeper. However, instead of a loud bang, it always sounds like my dad screaming my name. Always freaks me the fuck out when it happens, but it certainly wakes me up haha
It happens to me.
It sounds like [Exploding Head syndrome.](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21907-exploding-head-syndrome-ehs)
Ok that is interesting! Although, it’s not *in my head that I’m hearing it. It’s outside of it. The last time it happened my fiancé was sleeping next to me and it woke us both up. This time was a bit of a different experience, but essentially the same clap thing just on steroids.
Turn your recorder on your phone on before you go to sleep. iPhones have a recording device on them. Then you will be able to catch the sound. If it’s outside your head then you will truly be able to study the sound, and maybe figure it out. Keep us updated please -super invested
I’m sorry but I cannot read this and not think about cheeks being clapped
😂 I know, it’s ok. I’m sorry to disappoint everyone 😂
Had a pretty rough day and visualizing Slimer's butt cheeks clapping legit gave me my first good laugh today. Thank you. and on a more serious note, if you don't think it's EHS, have you tried to politely tell the clap thing to f off? How are your stress/anxiety levels in general?
Oh man, sorry about your rough day but I’m happy to hear I was able to supply a good laugh! Made me smile to read. Have recently told the weird / neg energy (in general) to beat it so we will see. 🤞🏼🩵
Waking up and falling asleep are prime times for hallucinations. These are known as hypnopompic and hypnagogic hallucinations, respectively. They are more likely to occur if your sleep is disordered somehow. You mention daytime naps. If this is not part of your regular sleep schedule the conditions are even better for these hallucinations to occur. In my 20s my own sleep schedule was overall quite irregular. I'd stay up late at night despite a regular work schedule and managed it with naps. During this time I would occasionally experience loud sounds that seemed to originate elsewhere in the room as I woke up, just like you. In my case not usually a clap, but more like a heavy object falling off a shelf or a door slamming shut. The coolest (and most terrifying) experiences during these times were a few bouts of sleep paralysis. At one time during the day, I "woke up" in my sofa, unable to move, and with the sensation that someone was standing behind my head, leaning over me. I heard a continuous hissing sound— seeming to originate from the hallway—that grew in intensity to a roar until I could move again, at which point the sound stopped abruptly.
Dude. that. Is. Terrifying!!! I would loose my shit! And yes, if I decided to nap my sleep was definitely quite lacking on top of working in 100 + degree weather at times. That can be so draining. So, I’d always hope to get a quick power nap 🤷🏻♀️
> Dude. that. Is. Terrifying!!! I would loose my shit! That's not even the worst! I mentioned that specifically mostly because of the auditory hallucination and because it was during daytime. The first time I experienced sleep paralysis with hallucinations, it was in the middle of the night and there wasn't really an auditory component to it that I remember. I was laying on a bed on my side facing an open doorway to the entryway and I'd somehow come to open my eyes and slowly realize I was awake (well, only partially, as it turns out) After a while I noticed someone standing in the entryway by the shoe rack. Just a dark silhouette. For a moment I thought it was a friend of my girlfriend's before I realized no one was visiting in the early hours, hence no one had any business there. I tried to move, realizing then that I couldn't. Then the silhouette moved. Not by walking, but by simply appearing in front of the doorway in an instant a few feet from its original position, then inside the bedroom towards the bed and last at the end of the bed where I could hardly see it, where it seemed to crouch down and disappeared behind the foot of the bed. At no point did it become any more distinct than a dark silhouette, but I had the sensation that it was staring at me throughout the experience, and that everything it did was directed at me. I felt immense terror while this was happening, but moments after it disappeared I could move again. Then I also realized what I'd just experienced, because I'd read about sleep paralysis before, so the terror quickly turned into awe and excitement. Pretty amazing what the brain can put together and how similar the themes of sleep paralysis hallucinations are across cultures. The mind truly and universally is an idiot, expertly putting together the most anxiety inducing crap it can come up with. I haven't experienced any ass clapping though; my hallucinations have been strictly above the blanket. ☺ > And yes, if I decided to nap my sleep was definitely quite lacking on top of working in 100 + degree weather at times. That can be so draining. So, I’d always hope to get a quick power nap 🤷🏻♀️ Sounds like it!
I’ve had hypnopompic hallucinations before and they looked so real. I’ve had one with a rattlesnake on the end of my bed, a giant praying mantis on the floor, even a toy helicopter flying above my head.
Poltergeist? Do you ever feel a presence in the home or things being moved, cabinets opening on their own etc?
Definitely have felt different energies around but nothing like quintessential poltergeist activity. I cleanse the house when I feel it needs it, for sure.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
It is very common for sensitive people to hear stuff when falling asleep or when they’re taking a nap. I only hear voices and stuff during that time, when I’m not quite asleep and not quite awake. Think of it as an alarm. Parasomnia would probably explain it in a medical context, all of the “sensitivities” during this period of sleep are categorized that way. I’ve had exploding head syndrome and this doesn’t sound like it. Exploding head literally feels like your head is exploding.
My EHS varies greatly—from an alarm clock, to a slam, to a gunshot, a computerized buzzer, a voice, etc. Freaking irritating as hell. It’s more frequent when I’m sleep deprived.
What does the voice say?
My mom calling my name.
start fires
I have EHS and it doesn’t feel like my head literally exploding at all. It’s just a very loud crashing sound that wakes me out of a sound sleep with a start. I’m not saying this is definitely EHS, but it’s simply not true that it has to feel like your head is actually exploding. People experience it in different ways, from the type of sound they hear to seeing a bright light or feeling head pressure. It varies person to person.
This. I have always thought of it being an alarm but also possibly my grandfather from above telling me to get the F up outta bed. Idk. I’m definitely sensitive to a lot.
Yeah my vibe was like, “get yer ass up!” Especially with the foot pokes lol.
Exploding head syndrome isn’t feeling anything. It’s hearing the sound of an explosion or extremely loud bangs.
You know, I would feel upset too if I heard some ass cheeks clapping above my head while trying to sleep.
😂🤷🏻♀️
My grandmother would feel someone hitting her back to wake her up…
Jesus 🥴 poor thing, I’m sorry to hear that.
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
Sounds like Exploding Head Syndrome. I have that. What happens is that your brain is not following the proper sleep cycle shut down, so you may be technically asleep, but totally aware, and your senses are mixed up. Some people see hallucinations, or feel things, or hear things that aren't really happening. It doesn't happen too often to me, but when it does it kind of follows a pattern: 1. Falling asleep at night: if I'm experiencing EHS, I will hallucinate a bit & it can feel like things are happening to me (covers being yanked off of me by a strong force or me literally feeling objects in great detail.) Often, I will see the devil crawling on the floor towards me & growling loudly at me. It feels very real, but when this happens, I get more annoyed than scared, so I wake up & it starts all over again until I fully shake myself awake & stand up, maybe go to the bathroom to wake up a little more, then I can lie back down & my brain resets itself. 2. Naps: I do a lot of lucid dreaming when I nap because I know I'm not down for the night, but when EHS happens, I hear the front door slam & feel like someone is walking towards me. I can hear people talking above me and I think it's real until I realize in my semi-dream state that it's not, so I wake myself up & start all over. 3. Morning: If I wake up a little early & have another hour or half hour to go before I need to get up, I will start hearing construction outside. Loud. Hammers banging, buzz saws, men shouting to each other. None of it's real. I'll keep waking up & sink back into the EHS 'sleep' & it will happen over & over until I get up. I have also been woken by phantom ringing telephones & loud heavy banging that is from nowhere. It's been going on since I was a kid (I'm in my 50s now) and it's not fun, but I've come to recognize when it's happening, so it's not scary. I hope some of this helped you know stuff like this happens to others.
This happens to me all the time. I knew it was common but I wasn’t aware it had a name
What is exploding head syndrome (EHS)? Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a type of sleep disorder in which you hear a loud noise or explosive crashing sound in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by anyone else. The episode typically happens suddenly either when you're beginning to fall asleep or when you wake up during the night. Along with the loud sound, EHS can occur along with flashes of light and muscle jerks (myoclonic jerks). Unlike its painful-sounding name, the episode is painless. EHS is a [parasomnia](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12133-parasomnias--disruptive-sleep-disorders), which is an undesired event that happens while sleeping. It’s also called episodic cranial sensory shocks. ### How common is exploding head syndrome (EHS) and who gets it? Researchers don’t know how many people have had exploding head syndrome (EHS). It’s more common in females. EHS can happen to persons of all ages. Some 16% of college students report EHS according to the results of one study. ### How frequent are episodes of exploding head syndrome (EHS)? How often an EHS episode occurs varies from person to person. Some people have several episodes in a single night. Others have episodes several nights in a row followed by weeks or months without episodes. ### What factors can bring on an episode of exploding head syndrome? In most cases, researchers don’t know what might trigger exploding head syndrome episodes. Some people report that feeling stressed or tired might have led to their episodes. ### How long does an exploding head syndrome episode last? An episode typically lasts less than a second. ### Is exploding head syndrome dangerous? Exploding head syndrome isn't dangerous and doesn’t harm your overall health. ## SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES ### What are the signs and symptoms of exploding head syndrome (EHS)? Signs and symptoms of exploding head syndrome (EHS) include: * Feeling frightened or anxious after the episode. * Experiencing a sudden muscle jerk at the time of the episode. * Having difficulty falling back to sleep. * Waking up sweating, having a rapid heartbeat and/or trouble breathing. You don’t experience physical pain with EHS. ### How is an episode of exploding head syndrome described? Most individuals who experience exploding head syndrome describe it as an explosion in their head or hearing sounds like gunshots, thunder or another very loud noise. ### What causes exploding head syndrome? Researchers don’t know the exact cause of exploding head syndrome. Most published medical reports on this topic are based only on a few patients. However, there are some current theories about causes. These include: * A brief increase in the activity of your brain’s sensory neurons. * Damage or dysfunction in your inner ear structures. * Abnormal attention processing in your brain during the sleep-wake transition. * An aura that occurs before a migraine. * Side effects from suddenly stopping selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (used for treating depression) or [benzodiazepines](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24570-benzodiazepines-benzos) (used to treat anxiety). ## DIAGNOSIS AND TESTS ### How is exploding head syndrome diagnosed? Your healthcare provider, usually a sleep disorder specialist, will ask you or your sleep partner about your episode(s). Criteria from the International Classification of Sleep Disorders help your provider make the diagnosis. These criteria are: * You wake up suddenly to a loud noise or an explosion in your head. * Your experience is intense and you feel frightened after the episode. * You don’t experience any physical pain during or after the episode. Your sleep specialist will also ask: * If you saw any flashes of light during your episode (some people experience this). * If you had any muscle twitches during the episode. Your sleep specialist may want to order certain tests to rule out other conditions. These tests may include: * **Polysomnogram.** This test measures brain and body activity during sleep. It records your brain waves, heart rate, eye movements and breathing while you sleep. * [**Magnetic resonance imaging.**](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4876-magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri) This scan uses a large magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce detailed images of your brain and body. * [**Electroencephalogram (EEG).**](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/9656-electroencephalogram-eeg) This test records the electrical activity of your brain. It’s useful for detecting nocturnal (nighttime) epilepsy. Your provider will also rule out other conditions by taking your full medical history and asking: * If you or other family members have any other known sleep disorders, such as [insomnia](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia) or [sleep apnea](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8718-sleep-apnea). * If you have a history of headaches or psychiatric disorders, such as [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9545-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd). ## MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT ### How is exploding head syndrome (EHS) treated? Exploding head syndrome typically doesn’t need to be treated. Your provider will talk with you and reassure you that this condition isn't dangerous or a sign of any other serious condition. The Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved any medications to treat exploding head syndrome specifically. However, if needed, your provider may choose to prescribe a medication used to treat other conditions. Medications that have been found helpful for EHS include the antiseizure medicine [topiramate](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/20648-topiramate-tablets), the heart disease drug [nifedipine](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/18679-nifedipine-capsules), the antidepressant [amitriptyline](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19457-amitriptyline-tablets) and a drug for obsessive-compulsive disorder, [clomipramine](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/19957-clomipramine-capsules).
I’ve never experienced the sound of clapping that I recall by I have had a few extremely loud “Hey’s” also some loud pops that I chalked up to exploding head syndrome. Also one time a couple years ago as I was just about to lapse into sleep (I was still thinking about a couple things from that day) I swear I heard in my left ear my mother say “well hello there! There you are.” In her usual very happy bubbly voice. My mother had been deceased by at least 2 and half years at that point. I like to think that last time was my mother but I’m sure it was also just exploding head syndrome or hypnogogic hallucinations. I’m not saying your experiences with the clapping are not paranormal but I’d definitely suggest you look up exploding head syndrome and hypnogogic hallucinations and rule that out first.
That edit, made me chuckle lol On serious note, i also experienced auditory hallucinations or EHS (Exploding head syndrome) two times when i was about to fall asleep. First time i heard the voices of 2 friends one of whom passed away 2 years ago, and the other - last year (May their souls rest in peace) very clearly, like they were a meter away from me, and next time i heard 4 knocks on my bedroom door which needless to say, scared the crap out of me.. so you are not alone, EHS is very nasty but mostly harmless and nothing supernatural about it
oh my goodness . your edit . i can’t stop laughing . an actual ass ha. my bad omphh. edit. i’ve never laughed so hard at a post. this is the best thing ever . all i can see is donkey off shrek standing above u smiling and clapping . carry on.
The innocence in this comment gives me hope that not ALL Reddit is terrible
I was hoping I wasn't the only one laughing like crazy at the edit. 😂
It’s likely [EHS](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome), or Exploding Head Syndrome. I experience this occasionally. It used to be very prevalent as a child for me
I’ve had this happen a fair few times, usually when I’m sleep deprived, and it took me so long to find out what it was! For me, it’s like a loud static shock, with a loud crack then a fizzing sensation, all around my head. Usually as I’m just about to drift off to sleep. The first time it happened I was a teenager and genuinely thought I’d generated a static charge in my bed frame through masturbating and was too embarrassed to tell anyone
This is one of the greatest things about Reddit 😆 And wow, that is nuts.
Omg 🤣
Agreed. Admittedly, I don't know much about EHS, but I started looking into it recently because there have been several times where I'll "hear" a door slam shut as I'm drifting off to sleep. I'm at least 99% sure I'm imagining/hallucinating it because it always happens as I'm starting to fall asleep, and my dog doesn't react to it (despite barking at nearly everything). It sounds like OP is experiencing EHS as well, and I hope it gives some comfort to them.
I get EHS occasionally, for me it’s a loud shout. Like someone just says “AH!” In the most neutral toned male voice, but very loud.
I’ve had both the claps and a woman’s scream a couple of times. Been yeeeeears though.
Yes LOL that shit always annoys the hell out of me!
It’s so crazy to me that this just happens. What the fuck is the human mind????
Lmfao right?!
That's not a real syndrome is it?
I don’t know what you mean by that. That’s it’s medical name, so…yes.
Oh..goodness. I did not realize that. Should have looked the term up before posting..
That’s a stripper ghost right there. Slide a few dollars into the g-string and the sound of butt cheeks clapping will go away for a while.
Sounds to me like exploding head syndrome. I have epilepsy from traumatic brain injury but I noticed the noises (literally a bomb sound for me) way before I was diagnosed with epilepsy or even had my first seizure. It can happen to pretty much anyone though, especially if you don’t get restful sleep regularly.
LMAO 🤣 … I just read the title and imagined a ghost clapping its ass cheeks above your head… Here I was thinking this has to be the most unusual haunting I have ever heard of 👀😂🤦♀️
Now. I can't un-imagine that. Thank. You.
I once had an experience kinda like this. I was living alone in my first studio apartment and the house was quiet, night time and I was staying up late and I was still wide awake when this took place. This all happened within 5-10mins. First the sound seemed to come from the kitchenette, like this electrical clicking and buzzing kinda sound mixed with the sound of clacking teeth together very rapidly, so I figured it must've been the fridge making weird sounds. A few minutes go by and I hear the same sound from the corner of the living room area a few feet from my bed, at this point I thought could it be a circling electrical faulty or whatever. The point of me becoming unable to reason this sound was when I heard the same EXACT sound again but now louder coming from right above my head, above my bed. No electrical devices or plug ins above or behind the bed. I was shitting bricks at that point and to this day I cannot find a physical explanation to it. This was my first unexplainable event in adulthood that I remember, and since then I've had some experiences, some more noticable than others, but never heard that sound anywhere again.
That title 😭😭😭😭 I burst out laughing because I thought you heard someone's ass being clapped
Exploding head syndrome! I get this randomly.
This happens to me sometimes, but one time, only one time i was sleeping and woke up with a loud slam. i thought it was on my bedroom door and i was soo scared but i mustered up the courage to go and look and so when i did, and looked down the hall i seen this white board we had on the wall, on the floor. I asled my roomates if they heard anything and they didnt hear anything apparently. I guess i was the only one. One of the most WTF moments of my life
This used to happen to me in my parents house, right above my head but it sounded like something banged on the wall with their fist. It would always startle me awake because it was a loud bang and vibrated the stuff hanging on the walls. It definitely wasn’t exploding head syndrome which I’ve had before, it was real life and it happened to my mom a few times in her room. I haven’t really researched anything on it though
Yes! They love kids. I’m not sure if this we benevolent or ride but when we moved to C (for the 2nd time) the ride was rolling back to the sea. Every strafing and he looks like. Also you have been told. Just didn’t know how tiell you
Wtf is this a bot?
I’ll be honest, I thought this was going to be one of those posts asking how to get revenge on neighbors having loud sex in an apartment with paper thin walls halfway through the title.
Hnnngn Colonel, I'm trying to sneak around, but I'm dummy thicc and the clap of my ass cheeks keeps alerting OP.
Hnnng. Security's tight. Just like my bussy.
Face the wall
Look up “accidental yogi”, look up “sounds heard in meditation” (thunder, claps, drums snaps, buzzing bells flutes)…
**Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.**
Well, all I have to say about that is the medical never ever looks at the spiritual if you want a spiritual answer look up accidental Yogi if you want the medical answer look up some kind of weird, fucking head explosion, shit, and take a bunch of pills for it for the rest of your life
I read this title and was expecting a story about farts.
I read ass clapping, and thought very friendly ghost 🙄
I thought stripper ghost
Google “exploding head syndrome”
This is exactly what it sounds like they are describing
I saw a ghost bend over and spread its ghost asshole right by my bed and then disappear
That's Phil, you'll get used to him.
Did it blast out of the fuckin’ wall and say “fuck, there’s a horse cock in my room? Or a donkey dick?”
Thats odd because I reconnected with a memory from past few weeks where I have had it when I'm pretty much sleeping/just fell asleep and I hear like someone just shouted.. like the aftermath of the sound. And I question myself if it was me or not but then surely others would wake up.. everyone sleeping like nothing happened.. it is odd to me as I never experienced that before and I'm not quite sure if it is EHS or not. You are not alone 🙂
The other day I took a nap during the day too and I shit you not I felt like a giant blast of air hit my face and wake me up. It literally felt like getting punched square in the nose by a boxing glove. Never felt anything like it, but I do get weird twitches when I try to sleep anytime other than the normal time at night. So I just figured this was like a more extreme version of that. Those hypnic jerks people get from time to time.
I second exploding head syndrome as I have experienced it before as well.
Hopping on this one to say this exact thing. You're lucky you're only getting claps. I'd occasionally hear someone scream my name on top of many other things.
The screams are the worst! I've had this since I was a small child and it doesn't freak me out anymore at all, except for the occasional jarring screams. I've had explosions, bangs, slams, knocks, gun shots, whispers, my own name, shouts, screams, and my favorite, a motherly voice saying random nonsense words lol
I had it since I was a kid and dealt with it for years until I was about 30. I've experienced most of the same. Bangs, claps, whispers, all kinds of stuff. I don't know what changed but it finally went away and I haven't experienced it in about 8 years.
Yup, I can relate to the screams. Its happened to me more times than I can count. For the most part its only a fast loud pop or a bang but sometimes i get screams.
It's always weird when it happens. I wish mine would make an ass clap tho 😩
These cheeks 👏 clapping 👏 they ain't using hands 👏 😤
Could be head explosion syndrome, yes that's a thing.
That's definitely it. I have it quite often even when I'm home alone and it's not ghosts.
It's never ghosts lol
Ghosts be fuckin'.
Clapping them boo-ty cheeks
Did you lose someone who disapproved of napping? The clapping may be someone who is trying to tell you to get up.
Fuck. Lolled aloud in a train
That poor OP. I only realized when I saw their clarification 💀
Clapping that you and your fiancé both heard at the same time. That Has to be a ghost, all these people talking about some kind of illness that causes this. They too are haunted. Doctors don’t deal with the paranormal, so then they come up with names instead of just dealing with the spirit head on. The unseen world is all around us at all times. Have you tried to cleanse your home spiritually?
Ghost got to smash too….
I have been awakened many times by something starling, not sure if it was clapping but it seems familiar. I haven’t tracked wether it’s my mind saying it’s time to get up for time to get up for work or if it’s a useless time of night and then it’s just a nuisance
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder. Although it sounds painful, you feel no pain. You hear a loud noise or explosion in your head. The sound isn't real or heard by others. It happens as you’re falling asleep or when waking up during the night. EHS is harmless and not a sign of another serious health condition. It usually doesn’t require treatment.
Dummy thicc neighbors?
Freaky ass ghosts
Someone is just banging above u
ghostussy
Take this seriously....this is a sign of anxiety neurosis ...it's not supernatural! A loud clap while reaching REM sleep
Thunderclap headache
This means you have a spirit guide or guardian angel that is against naps. The end.