Somniphobia (Fear of Sleep): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (2024)

What is somniphobia?

Somniphobia is the extreme fear of sleep. People with somniphobia may worry or obsess throughout the day about how they can avoid sleep. They may be afraid of what happens when they do fall asleep, such as having a nightmare or sleepwalking.

Somniphobia is a type of specific phobia. Specific phobias are intense fears related to specific objects, situations or animals. Most people with specific phobias know the anxiety they feel is extreme compared to the actual threat the fear poses. Still, it can be difficult to manage anxiety symptoms.

What is the difference between somniphobia and sleep anxiety?

Somniphobia and sleep anxiety both involve worry about falling asleep. People with sleep anxiety may feel anxious because they struggle to get enough sleep. People with somniphobia often experience more intense fear, such as worrying that something bad will happen to them when they fall asleep.

Who might get somniphobia?

The most significant risk factor for somniphobia is a history of parasomnia. Parasomnias are chronic sleep-related problems, such as nightmares or sleep paralysis. People who have a parasomnia may feel anxious about going to sleep. They have this worry because they fear re-experiencing the sleep problems.

Other sleep disorders such as insomnia also increase your risk. You’re more likely to develop somniphobia if you have:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
• History of trauma that happened at night.
• Narcolepsy.
• Panic disorder.
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS).
• Sleep apnea.

How common is somniphobia?

Experts don’t know exactly how many people experience somniphobia. Research does show that more than 40 million adults in the United States have a chronic sleep disorder. And more than 12% of adults in the U.S. have a specific phobia. Specific phobias are twice as common in women they are in men.