Fear of dreams (oneirophobia)

Oneirophobia is a fear of dreams. Often it grows out of vivid or upsetting dreams, so that going to sleep starts to feel risky. People may stay up late, rely on screens to drift off, or wake feeling unrested.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek oneiros, meaning dream. It is rare and appears mostly on lists of phobias. It sits close to somniphobia, a fear of sleep, and to worries about nightmares.

What it feels like

• Delaying bedtime to put off dreaming
• Waking with a racing heart after a dream
• Dwelling during the day on what a dream might mean

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Should I worry about frequent nightmares?

Occasional bad dreams are very common. If nightmares are frequent, stop you sleeping or began after a difficult event, a GP can help look at what might be behind them.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices