Somniphobia is defined as "a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted
fear of sleep", and this condition causes thousands of people major distress every year. There are many reasons why people
may suffer from somniphobia, as with any
fear: they
may have had repeated bad experiences with nightmares/night terrors as a child. Known by many names—somniphobia and
fear of sleep being the most common—the problem often significantly impacts quality of life. It can cause panic attacks, and symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, irregular heartbeat and a sense of impending doom/dread.