Imagine being afraid to fall asleep at night. The one thing that is relaxing to most people invokes a deep sense of fear and anxiety in others. The name for this phobia is somniphobia. Somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep and staying asleep. Many people experience this fear at one time or another during their lives. Maybe a kid watches a scary movie and is afraid to go to bed for a few nights. Or perhaps an adult fears falling asleep for a week or two due to local break-ins in their neighborhood. These fears are normal and typically dissipate with time. Somniphobia, on the other hand, is long-term. It deeply affects the daily lives of those who suffer from it. If you or someone you love fears falling asleep or staying asleep, it’s time to see a sleep specialist. At Gingras Sleep Medicine, we help patients manage and reduce their sleep-related anxiety through various treatments. Learn more about this sleep phobia and make an appointment today to schedule a consultation at Gingras Sleep Medicine.
What is a Phobia?
According to Harvard Health, “A phobia is a persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity, or situation. It is a type of anxiety disorder. A person with a phobia either tries to avoid the thing that triggers the fear, or endures it with great anxiety and distress.” The keywords in this statement are “persistent, excessive, and unrealistic.” The best way to understand a phobia is to think of it in terms of a snake. Most people don’t like snakes and are scared of them on some level. Pretty much any person you meet would probably scream or jump back if they found a snake in their house. That being said, they don’t go around constantly thinking about snakes and feeling a deep sense of fear and unease. Someone with a snake phobia, on the other hand, constantly has snakes on their mind. They worry they will come across a snake at any point during their day. This anxiety leads to physical symptoms such as an elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, and GI distress. The person with a snake phobia also will avoid situations in which they might see snakes, such as going to the zoo or going on a hike in the woods.
Phobias are fairly prevalent in our society. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 12.5% of U.S. adults will experience a specific phobia at some time in their lives. Phobia can be about anything. Snakes, bugs, heights, health-related fears, big groups of people, small spaces… You name it, and there is probably a phobia for it.
Somniphobia – The Fear of Falling Asleep
Somniphobia is the phobia of falling and/or staying asleep at night. This fear is persistent and excessive. It’s also unrealistic. The underlying reason for the phobia could be known. For example, someone who suffers from night terrors might be afraid to fall asleep because they don’t want to experience a night terror. Other times, the cause is unknown. Working with a sleep specialist and a psychologist to try and find the root cause of the phobia is an excellent first step when working toward treatment options.
Symptoms of Somniphobia
Someone with somniphobia feels severe anxiety and dread about going to bed. They may avoid going to bed at a normal hour and stay up very late. They also might have visible anxiety or even full-fledged panic attacks before bedtime. This person may talk about their fears all the time. But remember that people with phobias often try to hide their fears. This can be due to shame or embarrassment. Physical symptoms related to the phobia also occur. Due to the intense anxiety, those with somniphobia can experience symptoms like nausea, sweating, chills, and an elevated heart rate. Children may cry and cling to parents in order to avoid going to bed.
Causes of Somniphobia
The causes of somniphobia aren’t entirely known. It’s different depending on the person. Healthline.com mentions some specific disorders and fears that may lead to somniphobia:
- PTSD
- Sleep paralysis
- Nightmare disorder
- Other irrational fears, like fear of fire or dying while sleeping
In some cases, there is no apparent cause why the phobia develops.
Treatment Options
The first step is to make an appointment with a sleep specialist and a psychologist. It’s best to take a multidisciplinary approach when treating a phobia. Your sleep specialist can treat any underlying sleep disorders causing the phobia. These might include night terrors or sleep paralysis.
At Gingras Sleep Medicine, we complete a sleep study to see what is going on at night and to better analyze the anxiety. Improved sleep hygiene, anti-anxiety medicine, and therapy are three forms of treatment that can significantly help those who have somniphobia.
If you or a loved one has a fear of falling asleep that is irrational and persistent, it’s time to get help. Gingras Sleep Medicine has experience treating people just like you with sleep-related phobias. For more information about somniphobia and scheduling an appointment, contact Gingras Sleep Medicine today.