Ever since I was little, sometimes just as I’m drifting off to sleep I’ll experience a sensation in my head that feels and sounds like something’s short-circuiting. It’s just a loud, fast bzzt! which doesn’t exactly hurt, but isn’t overly pleasant either. I’d had them for as long as I can remember, so it was just one of those things I never really gave much thought to and sort of figured everyone had, until recently when I mentioned it to some family members and was surprised that they had no idea what I was talking about.
I went to the doctor, who ruled out brain tumours and epilepsy, and she said it was probably a form of myoclonus, like hiccups or hypnic jerk, and nothing to worry about. So I’m not worrying, but am just curious about how common it is. Googling brought me a ton of people who describe precisely what I experience, but they were without exception either on or withdrawing from antidepressants (which I have never been on), or epileptic (which I am not).
Anyone else get these “brain zaps” but don’t know why?
My husband has something that sounds very similar to this. (He calls it "Vrrmp"ing. LOL) He’s never been on antidepressants, and he’s definitely not epileptic. He’s just strange! When he first described them to me, I had no clue what he was talking about, but it will make him happy to know that he’s not quite alone when it comes to these things.
I think I get these… to me, it’s as if someone suddenly slammed a (solid) door somewhere (horray for alliteration!) It feels as if I really heard it, but I’m aware that it was only in my head. I wouldn’t say it’s unpleasant, but just a little distracting. They aren’t frequent, though - maybe once a month or two.
I constantly hear a whine in my ears. When other sounds are present this takes a back seat, but in a quiet room, as when going to sleep, it is loud and annoying. I half heartedly blame my insomnia on this noise.
I used to have those brain-zaps as well and they were exactly like you described them. It sounded like electricity arcing across your brain. I never worried too much about it and it has decreased to the point where it is almost non-existent.
BTW, I also experience something similar to a “brain zap” on occasion - I’ll be drifting off to sleep, and I’ll hear an internal “zzzzzzzzZZZZZZIP!”. It’ll wake me up, but it’s not long and I’m drifting off again.
ETA: On my post concerning the tinnitus… disclaimer - IANAD, nor do I play one on TV. It’s best to get yourself checked by a professional, etc.
OMG! I have that! I didn’t even know there was a name for it. But I don’t like that name. It’s been getting quite bad lately, and, yeah, I am under a great deal of stress right now. For me, it’s like a door slamming, loud and abrupt. I’ve gotten up quite a few times in the middle of the night or shortly after going to bed because I thought someone was in the house. I now realize that it’s in my head because the dog never stirs when it happens.
The other weird thing is that sometimes I’ll have something quite different going on. I hear doorbells. We don’t have a doorbell, but it sounds very much like ones I’ve had in the past. It is distinctive and I’ve been known to wake up hubby to tell him there’s someone at the door. “Um, but dear, we don’t have a doorbell.” Oh yeah. Weird.
I don’t think that’s dreaming either because I’ve heard the doorbell while wide awake as well. And I’ve been hearing it for years.
I used to get something when I was a kid; hasn’t happened in years now. It was a kind of stretching sensation that made me picture a slingshot, and then pow! An impact and spreading heat, which always affected the back of my head and seemed to come from within.
Now I wonder if it was one of those wacky migraine symptoms.
I think I’ve had the doorbell sound too! So weird.
I can’t wait to write “Exploding Head Syndrome” as a medical condition on my next pre-employment medical! (though I’ll probably chicken out… still, it’s funny to think about doing it!)
Very rarely I have something like this happen to me. I remember once when I was young it happened, and I got the extremely strong kind of… suggestion? idea? that a UFO or an asteroid or something had landed outside my bedroom window. It’s not like I believe it really happened–it was just this really strong conviction based on nothing. I think it was a combination of the sound and something like a flash of light, as described in that link. More commonly, though, I will get this weird sensation, like I’m falling–right as I am drifting off to sleep. It jerks me back awake with a shot of adrenaline. Anyone else get this? I think I’ve heard some people mention it before.
Wow, I get ‘visual sleep starts’ too - I thought it was an indication that I was a mental, so I never mentioned it before, but now I see it’s common enough to be described, and harmless too.
