Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionCharacteristicsDiagnosisCausesTreatment
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Table of Contents
Definition
Characteristics
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
Somniphobiais a specificphobiaor irrational fear of sleep. This phobia is often described as a cross between anxiety and insomnia. People with somniphobia may experience distress, extreme fear, and even panic attacks at bedtime or the hours leading up to it.
People with somniphobia may avoid sleep even though the lack of sleep makes their symptoms worse. In some cases, somniphobia stems from fears that something terrible will happen while asleep. Some people with somniphobia live in fear of having nightmares.
This article takes a closer look at the symptoms, causes, and effects of somniphobia. It also covers treatment options and ways to cope with a fear of sleep.
What Is Somniphobia?
People with somniphobia experience significant distress and anxiety around falling asleep. Additional concerns related to fear of sleep may include:
How Common Is Somniphobia?Experts do not know for sure how many people experience somniphobia. However, roughly 12.5% of adults in the US are believed to have a specific phobia at some point in their lives.
How Common Is Somniphobia?
Experts do not know for sure how many people experience somniphobia. However, roughly 12.5% of adults in the US are believed to have a specific phobia at some point in their lives.
Characteristics of Somniphobia
People who have specific phobias, like fear of sleep, may experience symptoms when exposed to the object or situation that triggers their fear, or even when they anticipate being exposed to it.
Many adults who have a specific phobia are aware that their fear is irrational.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
Characteristic physical and mental symptoms of specific phobias include:
Those who have a fear of sleep may avoid sleep. Developinginsomnia(a sleep disorder making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep) may exacerbate the fear.
Sleep behaviors may also be different for those who have a fear of sleep, including sleeping with the light on, sleeping during the day, and sleeping somewhere other than the bedroom.
Long-Term Effects of Somniphobia
Some people with somniphobia may develop chronic sleep deficiency unless they learn to manage their symptoms.
Sleep deficiency increases the risk of falls, car crashes, injuries, and many health problems, including:
Research shows that people with any kind of specific phobia have a higher risk of developing mental problems like anxiety disorders, depression, and mood disorders.
Untreated specific phobias have also been linked to numerous physical diseases, including:
Diagnosing Somniphobia
Often, a specific phobia isn’t formally diagnosed unless the fear results in significant distress or a disruption to daily life.
A mental health professional who is familiar with anxiety disorders can evaluate whether a person has a specific phobia based on certain criteria. The diagnostic criteria used are outlined in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition” (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association’s handbook for diagnosing mental health disorders.
According to the DSM-5, a person who may have a specific phobia can have a fear that is:
An evaluation may also assess what specific thoughts and concerns a person has around their fear of sleep to better inform treatment.
What Causes Somniphobia?
What causes a specific phobia isn’t always clear. However, factors that may influence a person’s risk for developing a specific phobia may be related to learned experiences, such as having a direct or indirect experience with the object or activity, previous trauma, or genetics.
With fear of sleep, there may be the presence of associated conditions, including:
Treatment for Somniphobia
While avoiding the object or situation that triggers a fear may be possible for some, it isn’t the case with sleep. Getting enough quality sleep is critical for overall health and well-being.
For those who experience distress and impacts on their daily functioning due to fear of sleep, there are some treatment options to explore. Some options may be combined, including prescription medication and therapy, depending on the factors associated with a person’s fear of sleep.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) involves identifying, exploring, and challenging a person’s thoughts and behaviors. Understanding the thoughts relating to a person’s individual fear of sleep with the help of a mental health professional can be beneficial.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia(CBT-I) is an evidence-based therapy for addressing sleep quality. In addition to challenging thoughts and behaviors that impact sleep, this method includes sleep hygiene and relaxation education, stimulus control, and sleep restriction strategies. A study that researched people with PTSD using CBT-I found that the participants experienced a reduced fear of sleep and an increased quantity and quality of sleep.
If nightmares are one of the primary contributors to fear of sleep, these specific treatments may be recommended.
Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT)
This type of multi-session therapy helps people who experience nightmares to confront the nightmares (exposure), practice relaxation strategies, and engage in new ways to describe the nightmares.
ERRT sessions also involve practicing muscle relaxation techniques that can be applied before bedtime.
ERRT has been shown to be effective at relieving distress associated with sleep and chronic nightmares.
Imagery Rehearsal Treatment (IRT)
For those who experience nightmares that contribute to their fear of sleep, IRT may utilize other ways to reduce nightmares and address the fear. This treatment also uses a rescripting strategy to explore the meaning of nightmares, rate them, and then find new, neutral ways to describe and rehearse them.
IRT may be paired with relaxation activities and sleep hygiene practices.
Is Somniphobia Curable?There is no single cure for somniphobia. Some people find that their symptoms eventually go away with or without treatment, while others learn to manage their symptoms. Keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider if you are having trouble managing somniphobia on your own.
Is Somniphobia Curable?
There is no single cure for somniphobia. Some people find that their symptoms eventually go away with or without treatment, while others learn to manage their symptoms. Keep in mind that what works for someone else may not work for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider if you are having trouble managing somniphobia on your own.
Summary
Somniphobia is the fear of sleep. Experiencing an ongoing, unrealistic fear of sleep can cause significant distress and negatively impact daily life. Though the specific cause of somniphobia isn’t clear, it’s associated with having experienced trauma, being diagnosed with PTSD, and having other sleep problems or mental health conditions. Working with a mental health professional to explore treatment options can help address the fear and any underlying conditions that contribute to it.
15 SourcesVerywell Health 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.Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the fear of sleep inventory-short form(Fosi-sf).J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Symptoms of specific phobias.Kanady J, Talbot L, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduces fear of sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jul;14(07):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What are sleep deprivation and deficiency?.Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyers A, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: An adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016 May;16(1):155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3. 11, dsm-iv to dsm-5 specific phobia comparison.Ramos DF, Magalhães J, Santos P, Vale J, Santos MI.Recurrent sleep paralysis - fear of sleeping.Rev Paul Pediatr. 2019;38:e2018226. doi:10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018226Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52. doi:10.1007/s40675-016-0039-yBrownlow JA, Miller KE, Gehrman PR.Treatment of sleep comorbidities in posttraumatic stress disorder.Curr Treat Options Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):301-316. doi:10.1007/s40501-020-00222-yEl-Solh AA.Management of nightmares in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: current perspectives.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Nov;2018(1):409-420. doi:10.2147/NSS.S166089Pruiksma K, Taylor D, Mintz J, et al.A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel.J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Jan;16(1):1-12. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8116Schwartz S, Clerget A, Perogamvros L.Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares with targeted memory reactivation.Curr Biol. 2022 Nov;32(22):4808-4816. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.032
15 Sources
Verywell Health 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.Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the fear of sleep inventory-short form(Fosi-sf).J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Symptoms of specific phobias.Kanady J, Talbot L, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduces fear of sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jul;14(07):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What are sleep deprivation and deficiency?.Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyers A, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: An adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016 May;16(1):155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3. 11, dsm-iv to dsm-5 specific phobia comparison.Ramos DF, Magalhães J, Santos P, Vale J, Santos MI.Recurrent sleep paralysis - fear of sleeping.Rev Paul Pediatr. 2019;38:e2018226. doi:10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018226Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52. doi:10.1007/s40675-016-0039-yBrownlow JA, Miller KE, Gehrman PR.Treatment of sleep comorbidities in posttraumatic stress disorder.Curr Treat Options Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):301-316. doi:10.1007/s40501-020-00222-yEl-Solh AA.Management of nightmares in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: current perspectives.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Nov;2018(1):409-420. doi:10.2147/NSS.S166089Pruiksma K, Taylor D, Mintz J, et al.A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel.J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Jan;16(1):1-12. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8116Schwartz S, Clerget A, Perogamvros L.Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares with targeted memory reactivation.Curr Biol. 2022 Nov;32(22):4808-4816. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.032
Verywell Health 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.
Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the fear of sleep inventory-short form(Fosi-sf).J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Symptoms of specific phobias.Kanady J, Talbot L, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduces fear of sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jul;14(07):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What are sleep deprivation and deficiency?.Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyers A, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: An adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016 May;16(1):155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3. 11, dsm-iv to dsm-5 specific phobia comparison.Ramos DF, Magalhães J, Santos P, Vale J, Santos MI.Recurrent sleep paralysis - fear of sleeping.Rev Paul Pediatr. 2019;38:e2018226. doi:10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018226Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52. doi:10.1007/s40675-016-0039-yBrownlow JA, Miller KE, Gehrman PR.Treatment of sleep comorbidities in posttraumatic stress disorder.Curr Treat Options Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):301-316. doi:10.1007/s40501-020-00222-yEl-Solh AA.Management of nightmares in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: current perspectives.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Nov;2018(1):409-420. doi:10.2147/NSS.S166089Pruiksma K, Taylor D, Mintz J, et al.A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel.J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Jan;16(1):1-12. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8116Schwartz S, Clerget A, Perogamvros L.Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares with targeted memory reactivation.Curr Biol. 2022 Nov;32(22):4808-4816. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.032
Pruiksma KE, Taylor DJ, Ruggero C, et al.A psychometric study of the fear of sleep inventory-short form(Fosi-sf).J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(5):551-558. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3710
National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.Specific phobias.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Symptoms of specific phobias.
Kanady J, Talbot L, Maguen S, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduces fear of sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jul;14(07):1193-1203. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7224
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What are sleep deprivation and deficiency?.
Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyers A, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: An adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016 May;16(1):155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Table 3. 11, dsm-iv to dsm-5 specific phobia comparison.
Ramos DF, Magalhães J, Santos P, Vale J, Santos MI.Recurrent sleep paralysis - fear of sleeping.Rev Paul Pediatr. 2019;38:e2018226. doi:10.1590/1984-0462/2020/38/2018226
Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52. doi:10.1007/s40675-016-0039-y
Brownlow JA, Miller KE, Gehrman PR.Treatment of sleep comorbidities in posttraumatic stress disorder.Curr Treat Options Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):301-316. doi:10.1007/s40501-020-00222-y
El-Solh AA.Management of nightmares in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: current perspectives.Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Nov;2018(1):409-420. doi:10.2147/NSS.S166089
Pruiksma K, Taylor D, Mintz J, et al.A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel.J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Jan;16(1):1-12. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8116
Schwartz S, Clerget A, Perogamvros L.Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares with targeted memory reactivation.Curr Biol. 2022 Nov;32(22):4808-4816. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.032
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