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Anyone Else Suffer from Somnophobia (Fear of Sleep)?

Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:25 am
Posted by PurpleandGold Motown
Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Oct 2007
22001 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:25 am
It doesn't affect me all the time, but there will be days -- sometimes weeks -- when I have an overwhelming fear of falling asleep. Fear might be misstating it. I have a compulsion to fight sleep.

Not sure why. Even if I take an Ambien or Valium I will wake myself up with 30-45 minutes of dozing off.

I'm going on day three of no sleep right now.

Sucks.
Posted by Jim Rockford
Member since May 2011
98202 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:27 am to
Not to that extent, but when I'm extremely stressed, I don't want to sleep. It's not that I can't sleep, it's like you say, a compulsion not to sleep.
Posted by wildtigercat93
Member since Jul 2011
112338 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:28 am to
Stop watching Freddy movies
Posted by member12
Bob's Country Bunker
Member since May 2008
32096 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:31 am to
I just saw Gone Girl.

I don't think I'll sleep for a while. That chick was crazy.
This post was edited on 3/26/15 at 12:32 am
Posted by 15sammy34
Auburn, AL
Member since Oct 2011
16137 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:31 am to
So the opposite of my problem, which is the fear of not being able to sleep. Granted the insomnia causes that
Posted by Walt OReilly
Poplarville, MS
Member since Oct 2005
124497 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:32 am to
No

Posted by PurpleandGold Motown
Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Oct 2007
22001 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:33 am to
quote:

Not to that extent, but when I'm extremely stressed, I don't want to sleep. It's not that I can't sleep, it's like you say, a compulsion not to sleep.


Stress definitely plays a role. A lot of people that have this phobia -- and I'm not sure it accurately describes me -- have chronic nightmares, a fear of dying in their sleep or some traumatic event that took place while they were sleeping (waking up to find your house on fire). I don't have any of those.

I just can't bring myself to go to sleep.
Posted by USMCTiger03
Member since Sep 2007
71176 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:33 am to
I hate sleeping but don't fear it or anything.
quote:

I'm going on day three of no sleep right now.
Don't you die after like four days without sleep?
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
25809 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:34 am to
You should look into getting prescribed xanax or some sort of anti-depressent.
Not saying you are depressed, but it might take the edge off and allow you kinda block that out of your head over time.


I used to hate falling asleep as a kid and grew out of it. Just know that it might be something you can and will probably grow out of, no matter how old you are.
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
25809 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:36 am to
quote:

Don't you die after like four days without sleep?

I dont know where you heard that, but I would assume you would eventually just crash without control and fall asleep.
Posted by Jim Rockford
Member since May 2011
98202 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:42 am to
LINK

quote:

On January 20th of 1959 DJ Peter Tripp host of "Your Hits of the Week" launched a wake-a-thon for the American March of Dimes. Not a walk-a-thon, a wake-a-thon. He stayed awake and on air for 200 hours. Trip was at 1050 WMGM from 1955 to 1959 and was a nationally known top-40 DJ. He had worked at KUDL, WHB and spent more than a few years at WEXL

To keep the attempt honest, and to get attention to the cause WMGM erected a transparent broadcastbooth in Times Square. There, any New Yorker could watch. At the time it was the longest period without sleep on record. There was both a morbid and a genuine medical interest in the attempt. For Tripp the stunt was partly for charity and partly to help his career. He was entangled in the same payola scandal that was killing Alan Freed. Peretz Lavie described the event in his book The Enchanted World of Sleep.

"Only toward the end did he begin to show signs of behavioral deterioration when, during the night clear signs of psychosis accompanied by hallucinations appeared. Trip began to suspect people were drugging his food in order to make him fall asleep."

The experiment got ugly. WMGM hired Psychologists to monitor him. The took daily poloroid pictures of him. They examined him, weighed him, took his temperature and watched him even in the bathroom. WMGM staff hounded him all the way to the toilet to make sure he stayed awake. His body temp began to drop and he was clearly getting paranoid. He ran into the street on the 4th day and was chased by staff, tackled and dragged back into the studio. He still had 4 days to go. This descent is detailed in the documentary Secrets of Sleep.



quote:

He heard voices, he hallucinated and on the last day they attached electrodes to his head and monitored his brain waves. They detected REM-like phases in his wakeful brain. He was essentially insane at this point. Despite actual diagnosed psychosis, he was still able to to his show, which amazed pretty much everyone. The problem was that by now, he actually thought he was not Peter Tripp, just an imposter. Life Magazine showed up to photograph the now psychotic DJ.

He stayed awake a total of 201 hours and slept for 24 hours afterwards. He had permanent personality changes that led to his eventual divorce. Tripp was still indicted by the DOJ only weeks after his stunt and accused of taking $36,050 in payola. He was found guilty and fined $500 and given a six-month suspended sentence. He fought with his PD at WMGM and was fired in 1960. He tried again at KYA in San Francisco, and again at KGJF in L.A. but it was over. His third attempt at WOHO in Toledo was just sad. He marketed exercise products and retired to palm Springs. He died in 2000 of a stroke at the age of 73.


Posted by PurpleandGold Motown
Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Oct 2007
22001 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:47 am to
I have a sleep study set up for April 5th.
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
25809 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:57 am to
quote:

Jim Rockford
interesting

I honestly dont know how thats possible. Ive pulled one all nighter in my entire life, staying awake maybe 40ish hours and was losing my ability to function at the end of it. And I slept for a good 12 hours.

Now 201 hours.... I could see how that would cause permanent brain damage. He was probably consuming an insane amount of caffeine as well as some other type of stimulant.
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
25809 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 12:58 am to
quote:

I have a sleep study set up for April 5th.

Best of luck man.
Posted by JordonfortheJ
Bavaria-Germany
Member since Mar 2012
14547 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:23 am to
quote:

Anyone Else Suffer from Somnophobia (Fear of Sleep)?



this is a new one

quote:

I'm going on day three of no sleep right now.


yeah I don't buy that. Brain MUST get sleep.
Posted by biglego
Ask your mom where I been
Member since Nov 2007
76376 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:24 am to
A human will die from lack of sleep quicker than lack of food and water. People talking about being awake 3 or 4 days are exaggerating. They nap and sleep a little.
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
25809 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:40 am to
Read Jim's post. I understand you "need" sleep, but the question is, how long can you go without it until the eventual crash. (whether that be death or your body finally forcing sleep)

Posted by PurpleandGold Motown
Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Oct 2007
22001 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:44 am to
I'm going for three days right now. It's been at least two. I didn't set my watch when I woke up. I know I haven't had a good night's sleep in some time.

You're right that sometimes I do "zone out", but I wouldn't call it sleeping.
Posted by SEClint
New Orleans, LA/Portland, OR
Member since Nov 2006
48769 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 1:45 am to
I love a good sleep
Posted by Shepherd
Member since Nov 2009
2947 posts
Posted on 3/26/15 at 2:45 am to
About 48 hours is the longest I've gone..It was miserable. No wish to go without sleep for that long ever again.
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