The Neuro-Protective Lifestyle

photo credit: Puppy Zwolle

Not to be confused with “music-induced tickle” where playing the piano triggers a sneeze or “blip syndrome” when relaxation brings on the sensation of an impending loss of consciousness–exploding head syndrome is all bark and no bite.

No headache in fact! Just the sensation that your head is going to explode and then just as your are slipping into the twilight stage of early sleep–a really, really, really loud bang (like a gun going off inside your head) and you’re awake, startled–head intact.

Although uncommon, I’ve had several worried but otherwise well patients ask about it. No worries though, Exploding Head Syndrome is not associated with any known neurological disease.

The current best guess scientific explanation goes something like this:

You collapse into bed and fall fast asleep before your built-in brain-alerting pathways have had the chance to fully finish “powering down”. As a result, that ever so slight delay grants you a “listen” into the inside workings of the “not-quite-asleep-not-quite-awake” brain.

Then KABOOM!

Or as the Boy Wonder would say to Batman: “holy metacognitive musings Batman!”, “is my head still intact?”

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

photo credit: andronicusmax

Internet hype and global democracy ideologies aside, the elusive hangover cure does not exist–and mostly likely, never will.

There are simply too many variables involved for a one-size fits all approach. Everything from the amount and rate of alcohol consumption, the presence of congeners (impurities produced during the fermentation process) and genetic makeup determine the level of “intolerance” to alcohol. According to one study, up to 30% of people are resistant to hangover, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed.

For the rest of us hangover sufferers, here are five harmless and relatively well studied remedies worth trying.

Water: taken in abundance before, during and after, can relieve even the most devastating hangover headache.

N-acetyl-cysteine: precursor to the antioxidant glutathione and able to reverse Tylenol®-induced liver damage with a single dose. NAC is probably the single most important hepatic antioxidant available.

Magnesium: 500 mg/day can help reverse potential liver toxicity associated with excess alcohol consumption. It may also improve cerebral blood flow by reversing the constriction of blood vessels.

B6: works but no one knows why. In one study, more than 1000 mg were given. A one time 100 mg dose is a much more reasonable.

B12: again it’s not known why, but it certainly can’t hurt!

Now that you know what to do, stock up now and be kind to your brain!!!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!