Fear of Sleep

For as long as I can remember, I've had an.. Abnormal fear of sleep. I hate it. Im a high school student so it's not like I'm an innocent kid who has trouble sleeping, but I feel like every night I'm sacrificing myself to the darkness or something. idk its just a really creepy feeling and I can't do it. I end up Forcing myself to stay awake until my mind shuts down on its own. So its not insomnia. I can't bring myself to willingly go into a state of nothingness. Even if I dream, it still feels like nothing to me and I hate the feeling. I always have to be doin something. My mind always wants to work so sleep is just a really creepy concept to me and Im not absolutely sure why.
Imagine something you really hate/ afraid of. For example, spiders. Imagine if every night you were supposed to lay in a tub full of spiders for 8 hours. Would you do it?
Can anyone help me? Thanks
-Emmanuel

I don't think this will help but I will try. So you think sleep is like sacrificing yourself into darkness? Try to think of it as something different. Try to think of it like a bright peaceful place of light where your body is refreshed and taken care of. Think of it as fairy's spring. I don't think it will work but you can always try it.

I think I know what you mean.

Though, it only happens when I think about it. Like, producing spit in your mouth only feels awkward when you think about it, and then...just, ew! It keeps coming! But with sleep, once I think of dozing off, I feel paranoid because I never remember what it's like to fall asleep. What the actual transision feels like. The paranoia from not knowing when I will fall asleep is what keeps me up.

Oh my goodness, have you been able to get sleep at all? If you have to force yourself to stay awake, what do you do?

I have nights like that though, where my brain just won't shut up. I could go to bed at 11pm, and then check the time and see that it's 3am, and I still haven't fallen asleep.

I'm not sure how to help, but maybe try any natural remedies to calm yourself down like chamomile tea or something like that...

But what do you mean by you're sacrificing yourself to the darkness?

^^ I usually try to lie down but then feel really uncomfortable and irritated, then stay up as long as possible until I fall asleep unwillingly. Sometimes I do other things like watch tv or something and other times I simply sit awake for as long as possible. I've sort of gotten used to running on little sleep but I doubt it's healthy.

And I just mean that like when I try to sleep willingy I'm allowing sleep (the darkness) to take me. And I can't do it.

It sounds like you have a problem with the darkness, not with actually sleeping.

Why not get a night light? That should help. Also, if you want to sleep easier, maybe listen to some music while you sleep.

It's probably not healthy to go by on very little sleep. Your body does need rest to stay healthy and function properly.

But as Amariel said, try thinking of sleep as a positive thing. Like it's euphoric, restful, peaceful, tranquil stuff like that.

But you could talk to a specialist and see what they could do.

But anyways, I decided to go on Google and look some stuff up about Fear of sleep.

I found this here, hopefully it will be somewhat helpful.

How To Get Rid Of Fear Of Sleep?

I have, on occasion, felt like this when I've been very tired. Not most nights, mind you.
I feel pretty anxious about it and get more prone to lying nervously awake. In this situation, the only way I can get any sleep at all is to set the TV onto something familiar enough that I don't have to pay close attention to it (radio would probably work, too, but TV is handier for me) and set it to sleep mode on an hour or so timer and I'm always out before it turns off. So I suggest that.

After you're well rested, you can take into account my real advice. The longer you go without sleep the less you're able to handle stress, so staving it off longer is probably only worsening the effect. And viewing sleep as a kind of surrender that you can't control certainly can't be helping this matter.
I suggest you sleep at the first sign that you're tired. When you do this, I think you're choosing to rest instead of submitting to some outside force that calls for you to sleep, and that's a lot more comfortable to me, at least. If nothing else, you'll be better equipped to deal with the stress and anxiety you normally face than you normally get and that alone could make it easier.

No it's not the dark. I have no problem with darkness. I usually sit in the dark when I don't sleep.

And I'll try the positive thinking tonight. I've never really thought of it that way. Maybe it will help. And thanks for the link btw. Much appreciated.

You're welcome~ ^_^

Hopefully everything will get sorted out, and good luck!

I have times (almost every night) where I just can't sleep. I wouldn't call it a fear, but my mind races so much and I can't stop thinking - no matter how hard to try. In fact, trying not to think is what makes me think.

I totally relate to you checking the clock and it being around 11pm, then checking later at 3am and finding out you've been awake all that time. Its not just you.

Anyway, if you want tips that may help:

Before you intend to sleep: Breathe. Do breathing exercises. Take the deepest breath you can. Hold it in for as long as you can. Slowly exhale. Do this 3 times. It'll lower your heart-rate very quickly and maybe help you feel sleepier.

And yeah, try a night-light. You'd be surprised how much that can help you, as silly as it may seem. In fact, I like to keep a night-light on right outside my door just so its possible to navigate at night to say, the bathroom.

Have you tried listening to music whilst trying to sleep? Sometimes when i cant sleep i usually listen to music, preferably environmental thunderstorm soundtrack loops. It helps me relax alot and i go to sleep much faster.
You should try it.

Hey, just think of sleep as a portal to another dimension. When you dream, you can do whatever you want. It sounds like you're not afraid of having nightmares (or are you?). You're not going into nothingness, you're going into unconsciousness (or subconsciousness, really). Your body and mind are growing and healing themselves when you sleep.

Also, darkness is simply the absence of light in a room that would remain exactly the same if there were light. Just keep telling yourself that.

Strange, I like sleep, though I like to keep to a good sleeping pattern and not be too lazy either.
I'm not afraid of dreams anymore. Can't remember the last time I had a scary dream, I can only recall "scary" ones from when I was really young. I do have some weird dreams, but no nightmares here
Also, sleeping is never a state of nothingness. Your brain is always active and dreaming all the time. You just don't remember most of it.

Originally Posted by STUFF2o

Also, darkness is simply the absence of light in a room that would remain exactly the same if there were light. Just keep telling yourself that.

The darkness is a metaphor.

Maybe It won't help, but have you tried to change bedroom? It might be the environment around you that makes you feel uncomfortable without you even knowing. I've also heard that colours on the wall can make you feel uncomfortable when you go to sleep. Red makes you angry, blue makes you sad, yellow makes you happy, etc. Now this have never personally worked for me. I have a red room and I'm almost never angry, but I'm also a very heavy sleeper.

Nothing's gonna happen when you're sleeping in the comfort of your bed. It's probably just a short phase. Think positively, ignore it and you'll eventually get over it.

The first thing I would do is not worry too much. You CAN grow out of this, you can conquer this.

I have OCD (the real kind, lol) and although it's pale in comparison to what it used to be, I had the exact same problem as you until I was 13. I despise darkness and the absence of light and activity. Most people call going to sleep in a cold, dark, noiseless room bliss; I call it hell. I have to have my computer on at night, usually playing some funny show I like. I put the volume on low and the contrast of my monitor on low so it's not too bright. The idea that something is going on makes me feel like someone is there and that everything is okay. I have no idea if this will help, but this is how I sleep most nights unless a friend is staying the night or something.
Another thing to consider is your life in the waking world. If you are stressed, it will carry over into your dreams and affect your sleeping in general. Stress is also exacerbated by a lack of sleep, as someone pointed out above me. Trying to fix things in your life, if anything's wrong, may help put your mind at ease.
I hope we've at least helped a little bit.

There are times when sleep can be really psychotic. As far as I'm concerned, the cause of this is mainly yourself. The best way to avoid nights like this is to do something unpredictable when it happens - a random act. Planned actions may not work. You somehow need to outsmart yourself.

There are times when I'm trying to sleep and my breathlessness is so intense that I have to get off my bed quickly and try seeking for air to breath.

There is a last resort to use in extreme situations, but I don't really recommend it on a daily basis. Try thinking something really sad so as to make you feel lot of guilt. This will really mess-up your brain and in the end, may lead you to a fearless sleep.

I hope I did not make matters worse ^^

Originally Posted by Emptiness

There are times when sleep can be really psychotic. As far as I'm concerned, the cause of this is mainly yourself. The best way to avoid nights like this is to do something unpredictable when it happens - a random act. Planned actions may not work. You somehow need to outsmart yourself.

There are times when I'm trying to sleep and my breathlessness is so intense that I have to get off my bed quickly and try seeking for air to breath.

There is a last resort to use in extreme situations, but I don't really recommend it on a daily basis. Try thinking something really sad so as to make you feel lot of guilt. This will really mess-up your brain and in the end, may lead you to a fearless sleep.

I hope I did not make matters worse ^^

Wow, I'm not the best sleeper but I can't say I've been through anything like that. Maybe you should see a GP.