We have all felt the anguish of not being able to sleep on occasion. Now imagine that this usually happens almost always, also carrying an intense fear of closing your eyes at night.
Somniphobia is an intense fear that manifests itself at bedtime. It is an unwarranted fear that something bad will happen during sleep . For example, dying of suffocation, being attacked by someone or something, or never waking up again.
These people try to rationalize their fears and know that most of them are unfounded. However, they experience apprehension and a diffuse feeling of anxiety every time they go to sleep.
Consequently, they cannot rest properly, and this ends up impacting their lives. After a few weeks or months, the situation can be hopeless for the patient.

What are the causes of somniphobia?

Although in some cases the causes are unknown, most are based on one or more previous traumatic events , or in patients with recurrent presence of nightmares, night terrors or intra-family violence.
Other possible causes are previous anxiety , as a disorder that the patient suffers and that, after a while, also manifests as somniphobia. Similarly, an initial insomnia can lead to somniphobia, because it can be distressing for the person to go to bed without being able to fall asleep, knowing all that it implies.

What are your symptoms?

Somniphobia is associated with excessive anxiety when going to sleep, even when thinking about the idea that you have to go to bed early. Its most common symptoms are usually the following:
  • Anticipatory anxiety
  • Negative thoughts and ideas of death
  • Sensation of alertness or hypervigilance
  • Apprehension or fear
  • Precordial pain
  • Palpitations
  • Tremors and muscle spasms
  • Excessive sweating
  • Trouble breathing or choking sensation
  • Need to urinate at all times

Somniphobia can be linked to insomnia, as a consequence of the latter

Consequences of somniphobia

Somniphobia has serious health consequences, especially if the problem persists in the long term. Many patients experience chronic or prolonged insomnia and stress .
There is a physical, mental and intellectual deterioration due to the disorder, with irritability and even hallucinations . Chronicity carries depression and the signs of a low mood. It is also not unusual for hypochondria to be associated with fear of a life-threatening illness.
The body is refreshed by sleeping less, and during the day there is excessive fatigue, headaches, and attention problems. Memory needs regular sleep to be alert, so it is another aspect that begins to fail in patients with somniphobia.
People with this problem perform less in the workplace and academically, in addition to reducing their immune capacity . They are more prone to infectious diseases, gain weight, and slow down their  metabolism .

Psychological treatment

The psychological treatment for somniphobia is based on brief behavioral or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. These treatments can be combined with other sleep medicine and chronobiology techniques .
Therefore, to maximize the chances of success, multidisciplinary treatment with the psychologist and neurophysiologist is recommended . To this are added other techniques that help alleviate the symptoms of somniphobia, such as clinical hypnosis, relaxation and meditation techniques, EMDR, and certain types of psychodynamic brief psychotherapy.
It should be borne in mind that the patient has to change his life habits, he must maintain adequate sleep hygiene, recover rest and correctly manage his time. A medical aid in parallel to the treatment may be recommended , especially for the most severe cases of somniphobia.

Fear of sleep is addressed with techniques of psychology, neurophysiology and even medication

Although complex, it can be treated

In conclusion, although somniphobia is a complex disorder that combines phobia, anxiety, insomnia and other psychosomatic manifestations, there is a significant percentage of success in its treatment. Above all, reference must be made to multidisciplinary treatment.
In any case, overcoming somniphobia entails a change in the patient's lifestyle that will lead to an improvement in their quality of life and health. Furthermore, if the treatment succeeds, it will improve performance in other functional areas of the individual, such as studies and work.
Good habits sleep Somniphobia

Somniphobia or fear of sleep

We have all felt the anguish of not being able to sleep on occasion. Now imagine that this usually happens almost always, also carrying an intense fear of closing your eyes at night.
Somniphobia is an intense fear that manifests itself at bedtime. It is an unwarranted fear that something bad will happen during sleep . For example, dying of suffocation, being attacked by someone or something, or never waking up again.
These people try to rationalize their fears and know that most of them are unfounded. However, they experience apprehension and a diffuse feeling of anxiety every time they go to sleep.
Consequently, they cannot rest properly, and this ends up impacting their lives. After a few weeks or months, the situation can be hopeless for the patient.

What are the causes of somniphobia?

Although in some cases the causes are unknown, most are based on one or more previous traumatic events , or in patients with recurrent presence of nightmares, night terrors or intra-family violence.
Other possible causes are previous anxiety , as a disorder that the patient suffers and that, after a while, also manifests as somniphobia. Similarly, an initial insomnia can lead to somniphobia, because it can be distressing for the person to go to bed without being able to fall asleep, knowing all that it implies.

What are your symptoms?

Somniphobia is associated with excessive anxiety when going to sleep, even when thinking about the idea that you have to go to bed early. Its most common symptoms are usually the following:
  • Anticipatory anxiety
  • Negative thoughts and ideas of death
  • Sensation of alertness or hypervigilance
  • Apprehension or fear
  • Precordial pain
  • Palpitations
  • Tremors and muscle spasms
  • Excessive sweating
  • Trouble breathing or choking sensation
  • Need to urinate at all times

Somniphobia can be linked to insomnia, as a consequence of the latter

Consequences of somniphobia

Somniphobia has serious health consequences, especially if the problem persists in the long term. Many patients experience chronic or prolonged insomnia and stress .
There is a physical, mental and intellectual deterioration due to the disorder, with irritability and even hallucinations . Chronicity carries depression and the signs of a low mood. It is also not unusual for hypochondria to be associated with fear of a life-threatening illness.
The body is refreshed by sleeping less, and during the day there is excessive fatigue, headaches, and attention problems. Memory needs regular sleep to be alert, so it is another aspect that begins to fail in patients with somniphobia.
People with this problem perform less in the workplace and academically, in addition to reducing their immune capacity . They are more prone to infectious diseases, gain weight, and slow down their  metabolism .

Psychological treatment

The psychological treatment for somniphobia is based on brief behavioral or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. These treatments can be combined with other sleep medicine and chronobiology techniques .
Therefore, to maximize the chances of success, multidisciplinary treatment with the psychologist and neurophysiologist is recommended . To this are added other techniques that help alleviate the symptoms of somniphobia, such as clinical hypnosis, relaxation and meditation techniques, EMDR, and certain types of psychodynamic brief psychotherapy.
It should be borne in mind that the patient has to change his life habits, he must maintain adequate sleep hygiene, recover rest and correctly manage his time. A medical aid in parallel to the treatment may be recommended , especially for the most severe cases of somniphobia.

Fear of sleep is addressed with techniques of psychology, neurophysiology and even medication

Although complex, it can be treated

In conclusion, although somniphobia is a complex disorder that combines phobia, anxiety, insomnia and other psychosomatic manifestations, there is a significant percentage of success in its treatment. Above all, reference must be made to multidisciplinary treatment.
In any case, overcoming somniphobia entails a change in the patient's lifestyle that will lead to an improvement in their quality of life and health. Furthermore, if the treatment succeeds, it will improve performance in other functional areas of the individual, such as studies and work.

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