I am a 25-year-old male, my parents were divorced when I was young, and I was sent to study abroad by my father alone when I was 6 years old. Because of his introverted and sensitive character, weak mental ability and lack of security, he was often bullied as a child but did not dare to talk to others, and a lot of negative emotions were accumulated in his heart.
When I was in the sixth grade, about 12 years old, I once heard a classmate say that people can die in their sleep, and the thought has lingered. I was terrified of falling asleep, a situation over which I had no control, and falling into that sense of nothingness after death that lasts forever.
What kind of symptom is this? Is it death phobia? What should I do?
Fear of going to bed is actually a relatively common emotional response that can have a variety of causes. Sleep itself requires a relaxed state of mind, but when a person is insecure, everyday stresses and anxieties can make it difficult to calm down and make it easy to tense up even before bedtime. This psychological burden may trigger a fear of sleep. When accompanied by emotional problems, the situation can be even more complicated. In some personal perceptions, sleep may be associated as a symbol of death, and this association can also exacerbate fear.
Here are some practical suggestions:
1. Regular sleep: Trying to go to bed and get up at a regular time each day, including weekends or vacations, can help adjust your biological clock and improve the quality of your sleep.
2. Relaxation activities: Try reading a paperback book, listening to soft music or doing deep breathing exercises before bedtime, which can relieve anxiety and stress.
3. Avoid stimulation: Use electronic devices less before bedtime, as blue light from the screen may interfere with sleep; also, avoid caffeinated beverages.
Scratch that: many people with sleep problems are used to relaxing on their cell phones, but studies have found that blue light can excite the body for more than an hour after stimulating the optic nerve for as little as 8 minutes. Even looking at a cell phone for just one minute may cause the brain to remain active, as blue light inhibits melatonin secretion and interferes with falling asleep. It is recommended to deactivate cell phones and other devices at least one hour before bedtime. If you must, turn on "night mode" to reduce blue light.
Seek professional help if necessary: you can go to a specialist psychiatric hospital to assess the current situation or seek counseling to ameliorate the negative effects of growing up.
