Causes of Somniphobia
Somniphobia is related to a host of other phobias like fear of sleepwalking, fear of nightmares or fearing dying in sleep (Thanatophobia).
• Sleepwalking is one the typical causes of fear of sleep. Majority of sleepwalkers do something benign in this state, but they are so afraid it occurs in the first place, that they are afraid to go to sleep.
• Death is also known as the ‘big sleep’. Somniphobes feel very vulnerable whilst sleeping and believe that death and sleeping are unsettlingly similar conditions which leave them completely out of control. Edith Piaf, a French singer’s famous quote sums this up: “I fear sleep, as it is a form of death”.
• Some people tend to talk in their sleep. Most of it is gibberish, but they fear revealing important things or being out of control about what they are saying.
• Sleep paralysis is another cause of Somniphobia. This is the state when a person, upon waking up, experiences muscular paralysis. This might happen several times which leads to them fearing sleeping.