6 Ventôse CCXIV (February 24, 2006)
"Any Monsters Under the Bed Tonight?"
A few weeks ago I got into a discussion with someone over the childhood fears we had, and the effects they still have on us later in life. For example: I find it difficult to sleep with the closet door open. While it no longer has anything to do with the idea of something hiding in the closet, attempting to sleep without closing it leaves me feeling awkward. (I've known people who wouldn't sleep without some sort of light on, who took giant steps when getting out of bed at night, or who would turn on a light briefly before entering a room at night. Again, these were all habits that, although developed for irrational reasons in childhood, have just become ingrained into them and persist as adults.)
I initially was going to post a long entry about this afterwards, but it disappeared from my mind. I've only just been reminded that I had wanted to (but not what I was going to say) by a link on another site to the Blue Moon Night Light — a LED-based night light that is designed to be placed under the bed. The site in question (which I've since lost) linked it with commentary to the effect that this would be perfect for keeping away the monsters under a child's bed.
Of course, this got me thinking as to whether this would actually work or not. Think about it: you're 5 or 6 years old, and you wake up in the middle of the night with shadows of all the junk under your bed being cast by the eerie blue glow that's emanating from underneath there. In a situation like that, I'd probably have had to be dying of thirst before I would have considered getting out of bed.
On a related note: My Monster Grows Up, a short story inspired by this light. I thought it was cute.
(As a side note: although I can't turn off IP-logging, I have temporarily disabled the requiring of an email address for a short period of time, in case anyone cares to post about any fears they may have developed as a child that still have some effect upon their adult behaviour. I promise I won't check IPs of anyone who does.)
I would never go down the hall without a light being on, I'd wait all night for someone else to go down so I could go to the washroom before I'd go. I will now go without lights on I however do so quite rapidly :)
Did you know that if your body needs so much sleep in total darkness that is completely uninterrupted by light? So night light's suck because they make it so that your body does not produce enough melatonin. Even if you get up to the bathroom during the night, you aren't supposed to turn on the light. Melatonin regulates most hormones in your body and a lack of it has been linked to things like depression and cancer. Also, don't wear a bra to bed. It can restrict production. So, I might be investing in one of those stylish sleeping masks that Curt swears by.
Oh, and I still practically jump into bed because I have this embedded fear that something under my bed is going to grab my ankles.
Posted by Ali at 8 Ventôse CCXIV 00:06 (2006/02/26)
Anyone who hasn't read the short story yet really should, it's really cute! Where you find this stuff Andrew I'll never know but keep looking and keep passing it along!
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