Why are We Afraid of the Dark :( ?

Why Are We Afraid of the Dark ?

When a normal fear becomes intense, persistent and irrational, it develops into a phobia. Achluophobia andNyctophobia are two terms used to describe a phobia of the darkness or the night.

Origins

Some experts believe that fear of darkness is genetically-coded in humans: our ancestors were simply afraid of being eaten by nocturnal predators. While the senses of other nocturnal creatures evolved over time to compensate for lack of light, humans remained comparatively helpless in the dark.

In a study of lion attacks on 474 humans in Tanzania from 1988 to 2009, 60% were attacked between 6 pm and 9:45 pm. 40% were attacked at any other time.

Most of the attacks occurred during the span of darkness between sunset and moonrise, a period of time that lengthens following the full moon. Hourly attacks were 2 to 4 times higher in the first 10 days after the full moon than during the 10 days before it.

Children’s Fear of Darkness

Fear of darkness is one of the most common fears among children.

Fear of darkness is most prevalent in children between 4 and 6 years old.

It begins to decrease in the majority of children after age nine.

Sigmund Freud believed that our fear of darkness is linked to separation anxiety and the absence of our mothers. He wrote, “The yearning felt in darkness is converted to fear of darkness.”

102 children between 8 and 12 years old were asked to list what they fear. The children mentioned a total of 49 different situations or stimuli. “The Dark” was the third most listed, with 17 children (16.7%) citing it as something they feared.

It’s Not Only Kids Who Are Afraid

For some, fear of darkness persists into adulthood. In 2001, a Gallup poll found: 5% of adults say they are afraid of the dark. 8% of these adults were female and 2% were male.

A recent study of 93 undergraduate students hints that the percentage may be even higher. Many adults experiencing insomnia may be afraid of the dark.

Of those who reported being afraid of the dark, 46% were poor sleepers and only 26% were good sleepers.

The researchers created an objective test to verify the responses. Participants listened to bursts of noise through headphones while in a bedroom with the lights on and then with the lights off. Poor sleepers were more startled by noises and these reactions were heightened when the lights were off.

The Dark Consequences

Studies have shown that darkness is good for us and not embracing it might actually be harmful. Prolonged exposure to light before one goes to sleep suppresses the release of the sleep hormone melatonin and may increase risk of mood disorders, sleep disorders and obesity.