Sleep phobia, one of the most common phobias, is an anxiety disorder, also called fear of sleep or hypnophobia. Hypnophobia is seen as a very serious disease that requires treatment because it disrupts the sleep pattern, which is of great importance for the body, from the immune system to mental health. Fear of sleep can be caused by many different reasons. Constant nightmares, fear of death, or different fears can lead to fears about falling asleep. With the right treatment, hypnophobia is largely preventable. For this reason, people who have this problem should undergo a detailed examination and then start a treatment plan that will be deemed appropriate by psychiatrists.
What is Fear of Sleep Disorder?
Fear of sleep is a type of anxiety disorder that mainly arises due to anxieties such as having nightmares, finding the time spent in sleep unnecessary, and fear of dying while asleep. Fear of sleep is more common in people who have frequent nightmares, nightmares, or sleep paralysis. The disease generally affects the person both physically and mentally.
The lack of sleep at night as a result of the fear of sleep complicates the social life of the individual during the day and negatively affects the work performance. In addition, worries about sleep affect the person during the day, and sleep anxiety can continue throughout the day. In some cases, fear of sleep can be seen as a stand-alone psychiatric disorder, and sometimes it can be seen together with problems such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and depression. It is very important to plan a comprehensive approach by identifying such other problems accompanying the treatment plan for the disease. Although the exact cause is unknown, the two most important factors thought to play a role in the development of hypnophobia are sleep paralysis and nightmares. Sleep paralysis, a sleep disorder, is a condition that occurs during waking from sleep, making it difficult to move. During REM sleep, which is one of the stages of sleep, the muscles are paralyzed in this stage when waking up. can make it impossible.
Although this situation is very short-lived, it can cause serious fears and uneasiness in the individual. Sleep paralysis can also be perceived as very frightening hallucinations, combined with nightmares. If the situation in question is repeated continuously, the anxiety of being afraid of sleeping occurs in people and the disease of fear of sleep comes to the fore. Nightmares, which are another common cause, may develop due to negative events, memories, psychological problems and stress in the person's subconscious.
Having constant nightmares is in most cases an indication of a psychological problem. However, some drugs used, alcohol use or factors such as stress and fatigue can also cause frequent nightmares. When the nightmares come to the mind intermittently during the day, the fear and anxieties against sleep become stronger and lead to the emergence of hypnophobia. Apart from the two sleep disorders mentioned, depending on post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder caused by traumatic factors such as theft, natural disaster, fire experienced while asleep, and sleep fear may occur. However, in addition to all these, it can be seen that some individuals develop fear of sleep, although no triggering cause can be identified.
Symptoms of Afraid of Sleeping
One of the most basic conditions of a healthy life is the adequate amount and quality of sleep. that is. In people with hypnophobia, regular and quality sleep becomes almost impossible. Although the main symptoms are the fear of not being able to sleep or the fear of sleeping, the disorder can also bring different mental and physical symptoms depending on the irregular sleep and the concerns in question. Some of them can be listed as follows:
- Negative emotions such as fear, panic, anxiety that come with the thought of sleep
- Increasing anxiety and distress with the approaching time of going to bed
- It is possible trying to go to bed as late as possible, sleep less or not go to bed
- Panic attack-like symptoms when it's time to sleep
- Having difficulty concentrating on different events by getting away from emotions such as fear, anxiety and restlessness
- Mood swings and irritability
- Confusion and problems with memory
- Difficulty breathing and rapid breathing
- Sweating, lethargy and dry mouth
- Nausea, other stomach and digestive system problems associated with anxiety
- Shaking, irregular heartbeat and tachycardia
- Feeling of tightness in the chest when considering sleep
- Turning on the television, light or music to distract attention while going to bed and leaving them on during sleep
- Children's constant crying, fear of separation from caregiver or mother and being alone
Treatment for Fear of Sleeping
It has a great negative impact on health by causing insufficient sleep and inability to get enough sleep. For this reason, it is beneficial for patients who have this problem to undergo a psychiatric examination and receive treatment immediately. When starting the treatment process for fear of falling asleep or falling asleep, necessary research should be done about the causes that trigger this condition. The majority of patients who apply to physicians with the problem of not being able to sleep due to fear have trauma such as theft, accident, earthquake, loss of a loved one.
In order to eliminate hypnophobia in these patients, the underlying anxiety and fears should be eliminated. In order to help the treatment process, practices such as meditation techniques, yoga or listening to relaxing music can be used. At the same time, avoiding the consumption of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and cola and alcohol intake before bedtime will help reduce the fear of sleep. Patients who fear that something bad will happen to them during sleep should be motivated that they are safe. If these people feel safer when they sleep next to a relative, they will prefer to sleep like this for a while. n can be displayed.
Depression and anxiety disorder may be psychological problems underlying the fear of sleeping. If such a situation is detected, the treatment of depression or other psychiatric disorders constitutes the most important step in eliminating the fear of sleep. Two basic treatment approaches can be mentioned in the treatment of hypnophobia. The first of these is drug treatments, and the second is psychotherapies. The use of antidepressant drugs or drugs that make it easier to fall asleep can be part of the treatment. In addition, cognitive behavioral therapies that aim to change the thoughts that reveal anxiety with correct thinking techniques can be applied with speech therapies. In most cases, the fear of sleep can be completely eliminated with psychiatric treatment. Supporting the person by his/her spouse, family or relatives will facilitate the treatment process. As a result of the evaluations made by your physician, you can overcome this fear and prevent other diseases that may occur due to insomnia by taking the necessary treatment. You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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