Is a fear of death keeping you awake at night? Death anxiety predicts insomnia through nightmare severity
Death Studies July 2, 2026 Rachel E. Menzies, Jessie Brown, Mitchell Turner et al.
Fear of death (death anxiety) is linked to disrupted sleep, but little research has examined its connection to insomnia and nightmares. In an online survey of 515 adults (70% female, 89% in Australia), higher death anxiety was associated with more severe insomnia. Attachment style did not significantly influence this relationship. Nightmare severity acted as a mediator, meaning death anxiety may contribute to insomnia partly through increasing nightmares. The findings suggest that addressing death anxiety could be a useful target for insomnia interventions.