Anxiety About Insomnia: A Growing Concern

There is a rising phenomenon of individuals developing anxiety specifically about having insomnia, which can emerge rapidly after a brief episode of sleeplessness. This differs from chronic insomnia, where anxiety builds over time due to ongoing sleep difficulties. In many cases, people may experience a stressful event, like health concerns related to COVID-19, leading to a short period of insomnia, but then become fixated on the fear of never sleeping again. This heightened anxiety not only exacerbates their sleep issues but also complicates treatment adherence, often creating a self-fulfilling cycle of sleeplessness and worry.