Clinomania (urge to stay in bed)
En español: lee sobre esta manía en Fobias.org.
The alarm goes off, you switch it off, and getting your feet onto the floor feels like climbing a mountain. Some people feel this most mornings for weeks. They run late, cancel plans or spend whole days in bed without being able to explain why.
That very strong pull to stay in bed is sometimes called clinomania. It is not laziness, and it is almost always worth finding out what is behind it.
What it is
Clinomania means a strong, repeated urge to stay in bed, so that getting up each day is much harder than it used to be. Everyone has the odd morning like that. With clinomania, the struggle goes on for weeks, even when you want to get up and have things to do.
It is not a recognised medical diagnosis. Similar words, such as dysania (great difficulty getting out of bed) and clinophilia (spending a lot of time in bed), are not conditions in their own right either, and very little research has been done on them. The Sleep Foundation describes them as signs of something else, such as depression, a sleep problem, a long term condition or tiredness from an illness. So what matters most is finding the cause, not the label.
How it differs from a phobia
A phobia is a fear that makes you avoid something. Clinomania is a pull towards something: the warmth, safety and quiet of your bed. Avoidance can still be part of it, because staying in bed can be a way of putting off a day that feels too hard, but the main feeling is wanting to stay put rather than fear.
Read more about manias and phobias
Common signs
- Snoozing the alarm again and again
- Struggling to get up most days for weeks
- Going back to bed in the morning or afternoon
- Tiredness that sleep does not fix
- Running late or missing work, school or plans
- Feeling guilty about how long you spend in bed
When it tends to show up
- First thing on weekday mornings
- Dark or cold winter mornings
- Days off with no fixed plans
- Working from home
- Before a task or meeting that worries you
- During or after an illness or operation
- Times of grief, low mood or heavy stress
- After losing a job or retiring
Symptoms
In your body
- Feeling heavy when you wake
- Sleepiness during the day
- Sleeping much more or much less than before
- Low energy even for small tasks
- Aches and pains without a clear cause
In your mind
- Dread about the day ahead
- Feeling that everything takes huge effort
- Trouble concentrating
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Seeing your bed as the only safe place
What you might do
- Eating, scrolling or watching TV in bed
- Cancelling plans to stay at home
- Hiding how many hours you spend in bed
- Putting off calls and messages
- Skipping meals or washing
What causes it
There is rarely a single cause. Depression is one of the most common reasons, and the NHS lists low energy, sleep problems and losing interest in things among its symptoms. Tiredness can also come from illness, such as glandular fever or COVID-19, anaemia, thyroid problems, diabetes or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and from some medicines. Sleep problems such as insomnia, sleep apnoea and hypersomnia, as well as fibromyalgia, stress and grief, can all play a part.
A loop can build up. More time in bed tends to make night time sleep worse and means less movement and daylight, which drains your energy further the next morning. It is not a lack of willpower.
How it can affect your life
Struggling to get up can affect work, studies and money if you are often late or absent. People you live with may read it as laziness, which can lead to rows and misunderstandings. Many people feel ashamed and push themselves harder, which often makes their mood worse. Lying still for long stretches can also weaken muscles over time. Most of the time it is a sign that something needs attention, not a personal failing.
Treatment
In the UK, your GP is the usual first step. Because tiredness has so many possible causes, they will usually ask about your mood, sleep and general health, and may suggest blood tests. Treatment depends on what they find. Depression often responds to talking therapy such as CBT, and a doctor may discuss medication. Sleep problems may be helped by sleep advice or a referral, and physical causes are treated directly.
Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for this care, but it can be used alongside it once a doctor has looked for the cause.
Things that can help day to day
- Get up and go to bed at similar times, weekends too
- Keep your bed for sleep, and eat or watch TV elsewhere
- Open the curtains or get outside into daylight soon after waking
- Set one small first step, like sitting up or washing your face
- Plan something gentle for the morning, such as a short walk
- Ask someone you trust to message or call you early
When to get help
See your GP if you have found it very hard to get up for a few weeks, if tiredness does not improve with rest, if it is affecting your daily life, or if you also have other symptoms such as weight loss or changes in mood. The NHS advises seeing a GP if low mood lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for more than two weeks.
If you are also feeling very low, talk to your GP or call Samaritans free on 116 123. If you have thoughts of harming yourself and feel you might act on them, call 999 or go to A and E, or call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option for urgent advice.
See also: Fear of sleep (hypnophobia)
How I can help
When I work with someone who finds it very hard to get out of bed, over Zoom, I use hypnotherapy and NLP alongside, not instead of, the care from their GP and any talking therapy or treatment they are having, and I would always want a doctor to have checked for depression or a physical cause first. Together we look at the first few minutes after the alarm, notice the thoughts that keep you under the covers and calm the dread about the day ahead. We also rehearse small, manageable first steps so that mornings start to feel less like a mountain. Many clients find this helps them feel more in charge of their mornings again.
Common questions
Is clinomania a real condition?
It is not an official medical diagnosis. It is a word for a very strong urge to stay in bed, and doctors usually see that as a sign of something else, such as depression, a sleep problem or tiredness from an illness.
Why do I not want to get out of bed?
It can come from weeks of poor sleep, stress, an illness or low mood that has not lifted. If it happens most days, the most useful step is to see your GP so they can look for the cause.
Is clinomania the same as depression?
No. Depression is a recognised condition with symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest and changes in sleep and appetite. Not wanting to get out of bed can be one sign of it, but it can also come from sleep problems or physical health conditions.
Is wanting to stay in bed just laziness?
Rarely. When getting up is this hard for weeks, there is usually tiredness, low mood, stress or a health problem behind it. Calling it laziness adds guilt and gets in the way of finding the cause.
Further reading: Sleep Foundation: Dysania, why it can be so hard to get out of bed · NHS: Depression in adults, symptoms · NHS: Tiredness and fatigue
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