A Washington State University researcher says that “exploding head syndrome” is a real sleep disorder, yet it is one that is often overlooked. According to the researcher, this disorder warrants a closer look.

Brian Sharpless, a WSU assistant professor and director of the university psychology clinic, recently reviewed the scientific literature on the disorder for the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews. He said in a statement that the sleep disorder was a “provocative and understudied phenomenon,” explaining that, “I’ve worked with some individuals who have it seven times a night, so it can lead to bad clinical consequences as well.”

Individuals with this condition generally perceive loud, sudden noises, such as doors slamming, gunshots, and fireworks, as they are trying to go to sleep. Such interruptions can lead to daytime drowsiness.

Some of the patients report mild pain. Individuals may hear an explosion in one or both ears, yet others perceive it within their heads. Some people see what can be described as lightning or bright flashes.

As with many other types of sleep disorders, this syndrome is quite mysterious, as Sharpless explained in a statement. “In layman’s terms, our best guess is that it occurs when the body doesn’t shut down for sleep in the correct sequence,” said Sharpless. “Instead of shutting down, certain groups of neurons actually get activated and have us perceive the bursts of noise. Behavioral and psychological factors come into play as well, and if you have normally disrupted sleep, the episodes will be more likely to occur.”