Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisCausesTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
Coping
Somniphobia is an intense fear of sleep. It’s what happens when stress and anxiety about sleeping or falling asleep turn into aphobia.
People with somniphobia experience excessive worry surrounding sleep, may have trouble concentrating during the day, may delay going to sleep, and may experience physical sensations like rapid heartbeat and nausea when faced with the prospect of going to sleep.
Phobiaslike somniphobia are common in the population: 12.5% of people deal with phobias at some point in their lives, and in any given year, about 9% of adults experience a specific phobia.While we don’t know exactly how many people experience somniphobia, research shows more than 40 million adults in the U.S. have a chronicsleep disorder.
Phobia Symptoms, Types, and Treatment
Symptoms of Somniphobia
People with somniphobia don’t just have stress oranxiety about sleep. Fear takes over your life and makes it difficult to function when you have a phobia. You think about the thing you fear constantly. Each thought you have about it makes you more anxious, and you try to avoid it as much as possible. The fear you feel isn’t rational. Falling asleep isn’t going to harm people who have somniphobia, but it feels to them like it will.
Some common symptoms of somniphobia include:
Children who have somniphobia may strongly resist bedtime, cry or tantrum frequently, not be able to sleep alone, and have frequent night wakings.Speak to your pediatrician if you suspect your child may have somniphobia.
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Diagnosis of Somniphobia
If you have symptoms of somniphobia, your first step should be to reach out to your healthcare provider. You will be given a physical and asked questions about your health and well-being. Your physician may want to rule out medical reasons for your symptoms or test you for possible sleep disorders. Sometimes medications you are taking forcentral nervous systemdisorders can cause phobia oranxiety symptoms.
If it’s clear that you are experiencing a phobia, you will likely be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist, who will discuss therapy and/or medication options with you.
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Causes of Somniphobia
Doctors and psychiatrists aren’t sure what causes somniphobia, and it’s likely that the causes may vary from one person to another. Somniphobia is often linked to certainsleep parasomnias(sleep disorders). It’s possible that having experienced a sleep disorder makes a person more fearful of falling asleep.
Sleep disorders associated with somniphobia are:
Many people with somniphobia have a fear of dying in their sleep.Additionally, there are strong links between somniphobia and PTSD.For example, a 2018 study published in theJournal of Clinical Sleep Medicinefound that fear of sleep may be a symptom of PTSD related to nervous system changes and the hypervigilant state that occurs during PTSD.
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Treatment for Somniphobia
Somniphobia is usually treated the way other phobias are treated, with a combination of therapy and medication.
Therapy for Somniphobia
Different therapy modalities are used to treat phobias like somniphobia, such as:
Medication
Certain medications can be used to help with anxiety and phobias. Medications usually work best when combined with therapy. Medication options for somniphobia include:
Coping With Somniphobia
People with somniphobia not only experience feelings of panic and anxiety surrounding sleep, but are also often chronically sleep-deprived, which only makes the emotional impact of the phobia worse.Chronic sleep deprivationcan also worsen your health, and make you more prone to high blood pressure, heart issues, strokes, and diabetes.
That’s why making sure to practice goodsleep hygienecan really help. This might look like:
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A Word From Verywell
Experiencing somniphobia can be extremely challenging and affect all aspects of your life. Many people with phobias feel ashamed of what they are experiencing and find it hard to reach out for help. It’s important to understand that you are not alone and that help is out there.
Phobias are very common, and they are treatable. Please share what you are going through with a trusted friend, and reach out to your healthcare provider or therapist for support. You deserve to feel well and more like yourself again.
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7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep).National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific Phobia. StatPearls Publishing. 2022.Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the Fear of Sleep Inventory-short form (FoSI-SF).Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710Kanady JC, Talbot LS, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Reduces Fear of Sleep in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2018;14(7):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224American Psychological Association.What Is Exposure Therapy?Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Sleep Disorders.
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep).National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific Phobia. StatPearls Publishing. 2022.Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the Fear of Sleep Inventory-short form (FoSI-SF).Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710Kanady JC, Talbot LS, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Reduces Fear of Sleep in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2018;14(7):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224American Psychological Association.What Is Exposure Therapy?Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Sleep Disorders.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cleveland Clinic.Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep).National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific Phobia. StatPearls Publishing. 2022.Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the Fear of Sleep Inventory-short form (FoSI-SF).Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710Kanady JC, Talbot LS, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Reduces Fear of Sleep in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2018;14(7):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224American Psychological Association.What Is Exposure Therapy?Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Sleep Disorders.
Cleveland Clinic.Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep).
National Institute of Mental Health.Specific Phobia.
Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific Phobia. StatPearls Publishing. 2022.
Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the Fear of Sleep Inventory-short form (FoSI-SF).Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710
Kanady JC, Talbot LS, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Reduces Fear of Sleep in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2018;14(7):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224
American Psychological Association.What Is Exposure Therapy?
Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Sleep Disorders.
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