Insomnia and Fear of the Dark

This article presents research from the Sleep Meeting at Boston. In those who slept poorly, half were reported they were afraid of the dark. In those that slept well, only a quarter reported being afraid of the dark. Researchers also demonstrated an increased startle response in those that were afraid of the dark, pointing to a potentially increased startle response. This is interesting research, as I wouldn't expect many adults to feel afraid of the dark - certainly not as many as reported in this study. And sleeping with the light on may help reduce the fear, but also may make sleeping more difficult.