Frequently experiencing nightmares or sleep paralysis also contribute to sleep-related worrying. People with this condition often have an abundance of stress hormones like cortisol in their system, which further acts to keep them wired and awake. Often, even though sleep problems start in the setting of fear, once the fear has passed, sleep problems continue because of changed thinking and behaviour around sleep. It's related to a fear of choking. Go ahead and acknowledge them. But for some people, bad dreams occur every time they go to bed. You’ll learn to challenge the thoughts when you experience them and reframe them so they cause less distress. If someone breaks into your home, there’s no one to alert or defend you. If you’ve ever tried it, you know that two of the well-known benefits of Cannabis are better sleep, restorative sleep, and anxiety relief.. Plus, it’s well-researched and proven to relieve anxiety and … Automatonophobia is the fear of human-like figures, like mannequins, wax figures, or statues. Additionally, anxiety can cause serious sleep issues, such as insomnia. Having a bedtime rituals can help signal your body that it’s time for bed. Fear of the dark, monsters in the closet, or simply anxiety about going to bed – these are all relatively common in young children at some point during their childhood. Have you ever thought that you might go to bed and never wake up? Last medically reviewed on April 29, 2019, Anxiety may occur at night when you're trying fall asleep. For most of us, going to bed at night is a reward. If you believe you have somniphobia, it’s best to start by talking to a mental health professional. Fear of sleep is fear of the unknown. Even though we all know movies are make-believe, some of them are so well done that they’ll make you think twice about your safety. Panic attacks occur when a person experiences a sudden onset of fear and distress. While there’s no medication that specifically treats specific phobias, certain drugs can reduce symptoms of fear and anxiety and may be helpful when used along with therapy. photophobia). Obesity.Sleeping too much or too little could make you weigh too much, as well. / How did anybody find that out? Don't face mental health challenges alone. They may worry that they’ll lose control of their body or speech, have horrific nightmares, or even that they’ll go to bed and never wake up again. Yes, these two conditions are closely linked. Experiencing trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can both contribute to nightmares, can also cause a fear of sleep. Being afraid of sleeping alone could be caused by a variety of factors. If this fear is affecting your life, you have options to…, Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathin… The exact cause of nightmares is not known.Nightmares can be triggered by many factors, including: 1. For somniphobia, exposure therapy may include discussing the fear, using relaxation techniques, and then imagining what it would be like to get a good night sleep. Other names for it include somniphobia, hypnophobia, sleep phobia, and sleep anxiety. Lack of sleep makes your more susceptible to stress. Not only is it potentially embarrassing, but it could be dangerous. Other signs of somnophobia revolve around coping techniques. To learn more, please read our full disclosure page here. Practicing mindfulness exercises like deep breathing and meditation before sleep are extremely helpful. Sleep deprivation can worsen anxiety, spurring a negative cycle … The mind is powerful, and by changing your perspective or mindset, change is possible. Other names for it include somniphobia, hypnophobia, sleep phobia, and sleep anxiety. acidophobia), and in medicine to describe hypersensitivity to a stimulus, usually sensory (e.g. Sleep disorders can cause some anxiety around sleeping. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The longer you suffer from this phobia, the more likely you are to also suffer from chronic fatigue. Try something relaxing and structured, like having a cup of hot, herbal tea before sleep, reading pages from a boring book, or doing a facial cleansing routine. Some cultures even believe that the body could be possessed by demons or spirits. We'll help you understand nyctophobia and how it can be treated. If you are a sleepwalker, you might be concerned about injuring yourself or leaving your home and hurting others. If you’re experiencing this condition, follow our tips to on how to overcome sleep dread. Are you afraid of the dark? It might be tempting to stay awake and stew over every possible scenario, but that’s not productive. Some people opt to leave on lights, a television, or music for distraction. How to Cope with Megalophobia, or a Fear of Large Objects, How to Overcome Erythrophobia, or the Fear of Blushing, Understanding Automatonophobia: Fear of Human-Like Figures, Understanding Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of Peanut Butter Sticking to the Roof of Your Mouth, feeling fear and anxiety when thinking about sleeping, experiencing distress as it gets closer to bedtime, avoiding going to bed or staying up as long as possible, having trouble focusing on things besides sleep-related worry and fear, nausea or other stomach issues related to persistent anxiety around sleep, tightness in your chest and increased heart rate when thinking about sleep, sweating, chills, and hyperventilation or other trouble breathing when you think about sleeping, in children, crying, clinginess, and other resistance to bedtime, including not wanting caregivers to leave them alone, negatively affects physical or emotional health, causes persistent anxiety and distress related to sleep, causes problems at work, school, or in your personal life, causes you to put off or avoid sleep as much as possible. Sleep is a funny thing, isn’t it? You might also fear things that could happen while you’re sleeping, such as a burglary, fire, or other disaster. Not completely, but I actually look forward to snuggling into my cozy futon when I am tired at night. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), over 50 percent of adults say … You may experience racing thoughts as well as physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal…. SleepAdvisor.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Phobias often develop in childhood, so you may not remember exactly when your fear began or why. Stress causes anxiety and then anxiety leads to a lack of sleep … However, some people suffer from the so-called fear of sleep, also known as somniphobia, which leads to traumatic experiences and images of sleep. 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