I wish that I could sleep soundly. For as long as I can remember, I've been affected by night terrors. Night terrors are one of those odd phenomenons like migraines; no one exactly knows how or why they happen or why some are more susceptible to them. They are more common in children but have followed me through my entire life. Unlike a nightmare, the person is unaware that when they awake that the dreamlike state was unreal. They continue to be in this dream state for several seconds, sometimes minutes before they are able to slow their heart rate and come to full consciousness. Everyone has their own diagnoses or treatment. Mine tend to be triggered by exceptional high amounts of stress or extreme lack of sleep. They cause me to stay awake for endless hours because I am too worried to sleep which in turn makes me more tired, triggering longer terrors and a higher risk of having them. I wake up completely drenched, usually crying uncontrollably but having zero recollection of what happened. It takes me a few minutes to come around. I can usually predict how long I have until they set again. I know how long I can go without sleep and a terrible diet due to many late nights in the design studio in college. My roommate laughs at my sleep marathons that sometimes last 15+ hours but the truth is, they are completely necessary. I shock my body with vitamin C and sleep. Even if I'm not tired, I go to bed and lay there. I don't let myself get up until can sleep for a few hours without waking up in a cold sweat. Due to my lack of sleep the past few days I can feel them creeping up on me. So tonight, 8pm bedtime for this girl. I wish the terrors were as beautiful as the photos above.
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