Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep): Signs, Causes, and Solutions

For many individuals, the second of lastly mendacity down in mattress after an extended or busy day can solely be described as euphoric. However for others, it might probably induce simply the other feeling: concern of sleep, or somniphobia.

For individuals with somniphobia, closing their eyes at evening might be something however restful. “Somniphobia is a kind of particular phobia characterised by marked concern and anxiousness relating to falling or being asleep,” explains Evan Vida, PsyD, a postdoctoral fellow on the Center for Anxiety & Behavior Therapy who focuses on anxiousness issues, together with phobias. Somebody with somniphobia could also be fearful about sleepwalking, sleep paralysis, or nightmares, or could also be afraid of one thing taking place to them whereas they’re asleep.

Due to their concern, individuals with somniphobia are more likely to do something they’ll to keep away from sleeping—which might set off a vicious cycle of sleep loss and mental health issues. “This avoidance usually results in antagonistic well being outcomes and elevated anxiousness, in flip rising the possibilities of experiencing nightmares or poor well being outcomes,” says Tirrell De Gannes, PsyD, licensed scientific psychologist on the Thriving Center of Psychology.

“Avoidance [of sleep] usually results in…elevated anxiousness, in flip rising the possibilities of experiencing nightmares or poor well being outcomes.” —Tirrell De Gannes, PsyD, scientific psychologist

If this sounds acquainted, don’t despair: Particular phobias, like somniphobia, are a kind of tension dysfunction, and they are often handled as such with the assistance of a psychological well being skilled and conduct modifications. Preserve studying to be taught extra about somniphobia, how you can inform in the event you may need it, and what your choices are for tackling this concern.

What are the signs of somniphobia?

“Signs of somniphobia embrace avoidance of going to sleep or falling asleep, utilizing distraction methods to go to sleep, and sleep deprivation,” says Dr. Vida. Going to mattress and even eager about sleep may also trigger intense physiological signs of tension, like a racing heartbeat, sweating, shallow respiratory, and trembling.

The concern could or might not be of sleep itself; “it might probably [also] be a concern of getting a recurrent dream or nightmare, a concern of not figuring out what occurs to your thoughts and physique whilst you sleep, a concern of intruders getting into your own home whilst you sleep, and a lot extra,” Dr. Vida explains.

Listed here are the commonest signs of somniphobia:

• Avoiding sleep
• Sleep deprivation
• Worry on the considered falling asleep
• Utilizing distractions to sleep, like leaving the TV or lights on
• Hassle concentrating in the course of the day due to sleep-related fears or worries
• Bodily signs reminiscent of elevated coronary heart charge, sweating, shallow respiratory, or shaking earlier than mattress

How uncommon is somniphobia?

It isn’t clear precisely how uncommon (or widespread) somniphobia is. “Research shows¹ that lower than 15 % of individuals have some type of particular phobia, and there are a lot of subtypes,” explains Dr. De Gannes. For instance, germaphobia (concern of germs), entomophobia (concern of bugs), thanatophobia (concern of dying), cherophobia (concern of happiness), and emetophobia (concern of vomiting) are all particular phobias.

Somniphobia, particularly, is “much less widespread than another phobias, however exact numbers are laborious to find out, because it usually goes unreported,” says Alexander Alvarado, PsyD, a licensed scientific psychologist at Thriving Middle of Psychology whose experience consists of utilizing digital actuality publicity remedy to deal with phobias and post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD).

How is it recognized?

Somniphobia is recognized by a psychological well being skilled primarily based on the presence of signs and by excluding different sleep issues that might be at play, Dr. Alvarado says.

The prognosis will even depend upon what precisely makes you fearful and the way a lot the concern interferes together with your on a regular basis life, Dr. Vida says. “Many people could expertise anxiousness associated to sleep in some unspecified time in the future, however for a prognosis of somniphobia, the concern and avoidance have to be intense, persistent, and disruptive to on a regular basis life.”

Why am I all of the sudden afraid of falling asleep?

Have you ever skilled something scary whilst you have been asleep or near falling asleep? “Traumatic occasions, particularly these associated to sleep or nighttime, can set off somniphobia,” says Dr. Alvarado. That would embrace having nightmares or nocturnal panic assaults, or somebody breaking into your own home at evening. A traumatic occasion paired with hypervigilance (a heightened state of consciousness, like being in perpetual fight-or-flight mode) is most frequently the reason for somniphobia, says Dr. De Gannes.

When you have one other anxiousness dysfunction, reminiscent of generalized anxiousness dysfunction or panic dysfunction, or a unique psychological well being situation like PTSD, melancholy, or obsessive compulsive dysfunction (OCD), you might also be more likely to develop a specific phobia² like somniphobia, says Dr. Vida.

Particularly, trauma-induced insomnia related to PTSD is known to coincide with a fear of sleep³. And as famous above, any sleep-related situation (like insomnia or nightmares) may also put you at larger danger for growing a concern of sleep over time.

What’s the distinction between somniphobia and sleep anxiousness?

In the event you expertise unfavorable feelings round sleep, it doesn’t essentially imply you’ve got somniphobia. In the event you’re pressured about not having the ability to go to sleep or keep asleep, or about not getting sufficient sleep, it’s possible you’ll be coping with sleep anxiety as a substitute.

“Sleep anxiousness could entail worrying concerning the penalties of not getting sufficient sleep, reminiscent of not having the ability to carry out at your job the following day or being unable to remain awake in the course of the day,” says Dr. Vida, “whereas somniphobia might be a concern focused on the act of sleeping itself.”

As a result of somniphobia and sleep anxiousness have totally different roots, they’ll include distinct diagnoses, too. “Sleep anxiousness would doubtless fall underneath a prognosis of insomnia, whereas somniphobia would fall underneath a prognosis of an anxiousness dysfunction,” provides Dr. Vida.

Is somniphobia a psychological well being dysfunction?

Technically, somniphobia isn’t named within the newest model of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the information that well being professionals use to diagnose psychological issues. Nevertheless, “it’s acknowledged throughout the spectrum of tension issues, notably when the concern is irrational and severely impacts one’s life,” Dr. Alvarado explains.

To place it merely: “All phobias are irrational fears and subsequently can represent psychological well being issues,” says Dr. De Gannes.

Is somniphobia genetic?

There isn’t sufficient analysis on the situation to find out whether or not genetics play a task. Usually, nevertheless, research shows⁴ that particular phobias can have roots in each an individual’s genetics and their setting.

It’s additionally true that genetics can affect your sleep habits, which might impression whether or not you get high quality sleep, and doubtlessly have an effect on your danger of growing sleep anxiousness or somniphobia. “Whereas there may be not sufficient proof to counsel a direct genetic hyperlink, sure individuals have [abnormal] sleep-wake cycles, which might result in sleep disturbances and differing sleep wants,” says Dr. Vida.

How is it handled?

Remedy is dependent upon what you’re afraid of in terms of sleep. “A educated skilled will assist diagnose the underlying reason for the somniphobia and work to create a remedy plan that instantly targets this trigger,” Dr. Vida says.

Most frequently, somniphobia treatment⁵ entails cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapeutic strategy that entails altering one’s pondering patterns. Within the case of phobias, CBT sometimes consists of publicity remedy, too, which is “the place people are progressively uncovered to the scary object or state of affairs (on this case, going to sleep) in a managed and protected method to cut back concern,” Dr. Vida explains.

Remedy may additionally embrace leisure methods and addressing another underlying dysfunction, Dr. Alvarado provides. “There may be some proof that meditation and hypnotherapy (not hypnotism) might be useful as properly,” says Dr. De Gannes.

How do I cease my phobia of sleep?

In the event you suspect you’re coping with somniphobia, and it considerably impacts your sleep or day by day functioning, you need to seek the advice of with a physician or psychological well being skilled, Dr. Alvarado says. In spite of everything, not getting enough sleep resulting from a concern of sleep can put you in danger for each further psychological well being points and bodily well being issues like hypertension and a weakened immune system.

Nevertheless, in the event you suspect you’ve got a light concern of sleep or aren’t certain you’re coping with full-fledged somniphobia, following the under way of life ideas may help.

Pinpoint the underlying situation

“Dealing with somniphobia entails taking the troublesome step of confronting what it’s about sleep that’s inflicting the anxiousness,” says Dr. Vida. You could possibly determine this out by yourself—maybe, for instance, you determine that the underlying concern is of a house intruder whilst you’re sleeping. On this case, you possibly can take steps to quell that concern, as an example double-checking that your doorways and home windows are shut and locked previous to going to mattress.

In any other case, nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll have to enlist a psychological well being skilled to assist determine the foundation trigger, says Dr. Vida, and work out what steps you would possibly take to mitigate it.

Avoid avoidance behaviors

A typical lure individuals fall into with particular phobias is attempting to keep away from eager about or confronting the factor as a result of they’re afraid it is too harmful, scary, or insupportable, Dr. Vida says. For instance, you would possibly climb into mattress however then scroll social media for an hour figuring out that it delays the uncomfortable emotions that come from attempting to go to sleep.

Nevertheless, this sort of avoidance conduct solely reinforces the training that ideas of sleep are dangerous and ought to be prevented, explains Dr. Vida. “This could result in a ‘rebound impact,’ or the ideas changing into extra frequent and ‘stickier,’ or harder to let go of.”

Attempt a bedtime meditation

“A bedtime meditation reminiscent of progressive muscle relaxation may help redirect consideration away out of your ideas and produce it to your physique, which might have a relaxing impact,” says Dr. Vida. (This follow entails tensing and releasing quite a lot of totally different muscle teams in succession, in a means that distracts your thoughts and permits you to tune into your respiratory as a substitute.)

It’s also possible to hearken to a meditation on a free meditation app that offers extra instantly together with your psychological state. In the event you discover that your concern of sleep continues to be percolating within the background, contemplate a mindfulness train that addresses the thought instantly: “A aware strategy can be acknowledging the fear’s presence whereas additionally acknowledging that you do not have to interact with it, and you may let it float by like a cloud passing,” says Dr. Vida.

“A aware strategy can be acknowledging the fear’s presence whereas additionally acknowledging that you do not have to interact with it.” —Evan Vida, PsyD, scientific psychologist

Whenever you gently nudge your consideration again to the meditation at hand, you’re “sending the message to your ideas that this isn’t the time nor place to be eager about all of the ‘what ifs,’” says Dr. Vida.

Postpone your worries

To assist quiet racing thoughts at night, you would possibly attempt setting apart a future chunk of time (while you’re not actively attempting to go to sleep) to handle them—a therapeutic distraction that may assist change your relationship with the ideas you’re having.

This would possibly appear like acknowledging the ideas that are available in and presumably even writing them down, however then telling your self that you just’re going to delay your worrying till your prescribed future “fear time,” reminiscent of 10 a.m. the following day, Dr. Vida explains.

Observe good sleep hygiene

Having good sleep hygiene means taking the correct steps to set your self up for wholesome sleep and avoiding widespread sleep mistakes, like staying in mattress for an extended time period even when you may’t sleep. (It’s truly higher to rise up, transfer to a unique location, and interact in a restful exercise like studying till you truly really feel sleepy, versus tossing and delivering mattress.)

Different components of fine sleep hygiene embrace establishing a soothing bedtime routine, limiting display time earlier than mattress, avoiding caffeine and alcohol within the night, and sustaining a snug sleep setting—all of which might help in dealing with somniphobia, says Dr. Alvarado.

When to see a physician for somniphobia

All three docs included on this article agree that in case your sleep difficulties or concern of sleep are beginning to impair your high quality of life or day by day functioning, you need to search skilled assist. Attempt finding a therapist who focuses on anxiousness issues, phobias, or sleep troubles so you will get tailor-made assist.