A research published in the Journal of Sleep Research unveiled that ‘exploding head syndrome’ affects one-fifth of college students.

The syndrome involves hearing sudden, loud noises when affected people go to sleep and wake up. Not much is known about the condition, but one thing has become clear that it not affects older people, but people of other age as well.

Researchers from Washington State University carried out a study on 211 students. They were assessed for having the syndrome and sleep paralysis. Out of them, 18% were reported of having the syndrome at least once.

While studying the cases, the study researchers realized that the exploding head syndrome resulted into a clinically significant level of fear. “Some people have worked these scary experiences into conspiracy theories and mistakenly believe the episodes are caused by some sort of directed-energy weapon”, said study’s author Brian Sharpless.

Medical experts think that the syndrome takes place when the brain faces problem in shutting down while going to bed or starting up when waking. Dr Sharpless said that loud noises could be due to auditory neurons activate at once rather than shutting down properly. These noises do not cause pain and are completely unrelated to external factor.

Dr. Sharpless started the research as he was not convinced that the syndrome only attacks those who are above 50 years. As per the researchers, one in every five suffers from head exploding syndrome at some point of their lives.

Not many treatments are available for the syndrome. But the researchers believe spreading information of the syndrome could help reduce the fear among those who experience it.