Guidance along the writers’ path: Night Terrors

We talk about great stories that keep us up at night because we’re so deep into the storyline that we feel like one of the characters.

We can’t put the book down.

We can’t rest.

We choose to skip sleep so that we can race to the end of the book.

What would if feel like if we couldn’t tell the difference between our eerie stories and reality?

Can you imagine your greatest fears becoming so real to you that you think your fingers are sticky with blood, and you smell the breath of the one who is so torturing you?

These are examples of what might be reported by someone experiencing a night terror.

Night terrors can happen at any age but are most likely to occur in young children.

When I saw one of my little loves having a night terror, they were inconsolable.

He seemed awake, although completely terrified.

In between screams he yelled things like, “He’s coming to cut off my leg with a chainsaw!”

He went on to describe the creature approaching him.

Research says that night terrors last about ten minutes or less, but of the four I witnessed, they lasted much longer.

Or did they only seem longer than ten minutes?

In each of those four times, my dear one also spiked a dangerously high-grade fever.

Those who have experienced night terrors describe them as far worse than any nightmare.

What?

Night terrors are sudden occurrences of extreme feelings such as horror.

They might squirm, kick, and push others away.

When?

More likely to happen during the beginning of a sleep cycle.

Because their eyes can be wide open during a night terror, it may seem like they are awake.

Why?  Typically, younger children have night terrors.

It is believed that stress, fevers, being overly tired, and certain medicines contribute to someone having a night terror.

Tonight, consider getting high quality sleep.

Being well-rested can help your writing projects, but more importantly, being well-rested helps you be you.

Goodnight.