Dreamless sleep is probably the truest glimpse of death that we ever experience as sentient beings. There's no feeling, no memory, and no consciousness of any kind. Nightmares are the exact opposite of that. They tap into one of the most potent survival mechanisms we have: fear. It boosts our heart rate, fills us with adrenaline, and gives us a sense of urgency. We wake with every bodily system at its peak, and of course, we remember the experience. It's not dreamless and silent but alive and vibrant.
Nightmares make me feel alive in a way other experiences don't. They remind me that sleep isn't slipping into death but a part of life. I will wake again from that temporary state. All the feelings of life will come flooding back into me. They will come back riding that primal survival mechanism of fear. I am so thankful that I get to experience the living joys of nightmares.
