Somniphobia is the fear of going to sleep. There is something about sleep that is distressing for an individual, and they spend the entire day stressed about going to sleep. There are varying causes for somniphobia, and as a mental health disorder, it's something that has to be worked out over time. Here is some more information about somniphobia so you can determine if you need to speak with your physician about your potential to be diagnosed with it. 

Overview of somniphobia 

Somniphobia is the extreme anxiety and fear around the thought of going to bed. It is also known as hypnophobia, clinophobia, sleep anxiety, or sleep dread. 

It can be associated with some sleep disorders, like narcolepsy. If someone with narcolepsy worried all day about whether or not they would be able to go to sleep, then they may develop a fear or anxiety around bedtime. This is an example of somniphobia. Same with other intimidating disorders like sleep paralysis.

Symptoms 

Sleep is essential for a good quality of life, but experiencing somniphobia may interfere with getting adequate amount of sleep. This phobia may stem less from the fear of going to sleep and more from what happens during sleep. For example, if someone experiences nightmares, going to sleep may be a distressing part of their day. 

Some of the mental health symptoms may include: 

• Feeling fear or anxiety when thinking about sleep
• Experiencing distress closer to bedtime 
• Avoiding going to bed or staying up as long as possible 
• Panic attacks around bedtime 
• Having trouble focusing on things besides sleep-related worry and fear 
• Hard time remember things. 

There are also some physical symptoms that may include nausea, or other stomach issues, and tightness in the chest or increased heart rate.  

Causes 

There isn't an exact cause to somniphobia, however, some sleep disorders could play a role. For instance sleep paralysis or nightmare disorders, including PTSD, could have such distressing symptoms, that it stresses out individuals to go to bed and have to experience those sensations. Therefore, they would just rather not go to sleep. 

Also the fear of things happening while sleeping can contribute. If someone is constantly worried about fire, burglary, or even death, they may have trouble going to sleep. 

Some individuals have a higher risk of developing this phobia if they have a family member who also has a phobia or family history of anxiety. Also having a serious medical condition with a high chance of death can contribute to somniphobia as people have a fear of dying.

Diagnosis 

The best place to start if you think you have somniphobia is with a mental health professional. They can give an accurate diagnosis, as well as support for overcoming it. Phobias are diagnosed if fear and anxiety cause distress or disruption to one's life. 

If a fear of sleeping affects sleep quality, negatively affects health, causes persistent anxiety and stress, or lasts more than six months, then you could be diagnosed with somniphobia. 

Treatment

Treatment for somniphobia is important as it can have serious physical and mental health consequences. Treatment may include addressing the underlying cause that contributes to the somniphobia. Also exposure therapy is another form of treatment where individuals are exposed to the thing that makes them the most anxious in order to reduce their fear around it. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is another approach where a professional will help you change your thoughts to match your behaviors and vice versa. They may help you to work through anything causing your fear and help you work through your issue to the point where you don't have that anxiety anymore. 

Medication is another approach as well, including beta blockers of benzodiazepines for short-term use. Both reduce the sympathetic nervous system which is active during times of stress. 

[Sources]: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/somniphobia#takeaway