Good day to you, or should I say good evening to you, my little literary dreamers. Get your coziest pyjamas on, your bunny slippers, your favourite teddy bear and take a deep breath, as we prepare to take on today’s word: somniphobia.

‘Somniphobia’ is the fear of going to bed, or extreme anxiety with the thought of sleeping or falling asleep. It is also known as hypnophobia, clinophobia, sleep anxiety, or sleep dread. It can be related to a fear of the unknown, concern with a ‘lack of control’ whilst sleeping, or worrying that one might not hear a loved one call out in pain or trouble whilst one is asleep. Sleep paralysis and nightmare disorders are two of the causes of somniphobia, although it is linked to many other forms of anxiety and fears. Common symptoms of somniphobia include a feeling of fear when thinking about sleeping, experiencing distress at bedtime, avoiding going to bed altogether, having panic attacks when it’s time to sleep, irritability or mood swings, and having a hard time remembering things. There can also be physical symptoms, including nausea, a tightness in the chest, and sweats, chills or hyperventilation. Children with somniphobia will often cry, become clingy, and ask not to be left alone. 

The word ‘somniphobia’ comes from the Latin words ‘somnus’ and ‘phobia’. ‘Somnus’ means ‘sleep’ or ‘drowsiness’, and comes from Proto-Italic ‘*swepnos’, meaning ‘to sleep’. It can also take on the figurative meaning ‘death’. Though not quite an antonym, chronophobia is a related fear - the fear of time. Chronophobia is an irrational fear of both time and the passing of time, and can include a fear of watches, clocks and other timepieces. It comes from the Latin word for time - ‘chronos’. 

Isn’t language wonderful?

Written by Taylor Davidson, Read by Zane C Weber

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