Sleeping with a night light
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381960)
Rockingham, Australia
October 5, 2017 4:06am CST
Firstly the photo has nothing to do with the post. It was taken in the Pyrenees in France and you should be able to see the switchback roads we had travelled.
I’ve just read and responded to @GardenGerty’s post http://www.mylot.com/post/3112572/imagine-the-darkness about sitting in the darkness before heading off to bed. It seems the only light she can see comes from a light pole about half a block away.
It reminded me that where we live, mostly surrounded by the Australian bush, we see no artificial light at night unless we create it. On a dark night visitors from the city often remark on how the heavens teem with thousands of brilliant pinpricks of light from the stars.
However, within the house, one friend who regularly stays a night or two finds the total blackness a bit overwhelming and we’ve taken to leaving a ‘night light’ on somewhere in the house so if people need to get up they can more easily find their way around.
We find the opposite when we stay in the city. It never seems to be totally dark or totally silent. There is always light from the street lights or from traffic and there is always noise. It’s interesting how people differ in what they’re used to and in what they prefer.
Oh, by the way, this is my 1,000th post. 
40 people like this
42 responses
@Juliaacv (56180)
• Canada
5 Oct 17
Congratulations on your 1,000th post!
We were the very same way as you are.
When we lived in the country it was so dark and so wonderfully quiet. After the sun set it was quiet condusive to sleeping, but because I have such a fear of falling, we always kept a night light on in the hallway near our bedroom. We used to use a solar night light when we moved in here, but there are so many lights of the city that I don't know "darkness" anymore so we don't even use that any longer. I'm a big girl now-no more nightlight!
We were the very same way as you are.
When we lived in the country it was so dark and so wonderfully quiet. After the sun set it was quiet condusive to sleeping, but because I have such a fear of falling, we always kept a night light on in the hallway near our bedroom. We used to use a solar night light when we moved in here, but there are so many lights of the city that I don't know "darkness" anymore so we don't even use that any longer. I'm a big girl now-no more nightlight!6 people like this
@Juliaacv (56180)
• Canada
5 Oct 17
@Butchcass4 I don't mind it at all. The streetlights seem to penetrate the house enough that I don't need anything else. In fact, when its time to get up and its still dark, or late at night and dark, we don't like the glare of the big lights and prefer lamps. I think we are getting old!
3 people like this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
5 Oct 17
@Juliaacv How do you like not having to have a night light on? Our bedroom is dark we don't have any night lights there but we do in our kitchen and living room. I've got to have some light too!
3 people like this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
5 Oct 17
I have a nightlight in the hall but not in my room. I sleep better without light. But now of course there are little glowing electronics. I usually cover the glowing dots.
6 people like this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
5 Oct 17
@sishy7 You mean theres others who have 1,000 discussions?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Oct 17
@Butchcass4 Someone reached theirs just the other day but I can't think who it was. I think there would be quite a few with 1,000 discussions.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502343)
• Italy
5 Oct 17
Congratulations Judy, I missed my (100000) actions, I am keeping an eye for 111111, I am sure I will miss it too.
I cannot sleep if there is not total darkness, here is dark in the night. When I was young I have heavy curtains not to let the light filter inside my bedroom. In the corridor we have a dim night light, to avoid to walk in the dark if we need to go to the bathroom.
2 people like this
@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
5 Oct 17
I don't like lights at night, although it isn't totally dark here. I love when we do get further away from 'civilization' and see all the millions of stars as you say. It makes me think how they must have featured must more in the lives of humans before electric lighting detracted from their presence.
3 people like this
@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
5 Oct 17
@JudyEv I notice them a lot, and I particularly remember when I visited Australia, although in many ways it seemed like 'home' - even the same shops - what really made me realise how far from home I was, was seeing the Southern Cross instead of the familiar Plough and Orion!
3 people like this
@peachpurple (13961)
• Malaysia
5 Oct 17
congrats to your 1000th post, my son sleeps with the lights on too
3 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (40026)
• Toccoa, Georgia
6 Oct 17
We have a night light in our hall so if we have to get up in the middle of the night, we can see to turn on the lights.
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Oct 17
Cheers on your 1000th post. I like it dark and quiet when I go to bed. However, it's not completely either. I would love to live in a place where I could look up at the myriad of stars in the heavens, and listen to the tree frogs and crickets, @GardenGerty mentioned in her post. City life just isn't the same as country life.
2 people like this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
6 Oct 17
I was raised on a dairy farm way away from all the city street lights so I know what you mean about the stars. However, we had a pole light in the front of the house to light up the building on the farm. But it didn't bother us at night.
2 people like this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
11 Oct 17
@JudyEv There were no CCTV cameras when I was growing up, but we had three big dogs that kept burglars away.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Oct 17
@RichardMeister Loud dogs are certainly a deterrent to most burglars.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43579)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Oct 17
We usually try to leave a light on somewhere in the house at night.
Congratulations on hitting 1000. I'm at 1357.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43579)
• Denver, Colorado
6 Oct 17
@JudyEv - Nope. I just keep plugging away.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
6 Oct 17
You are right, pitch darkness is definitely not what I'm use to. When our street light burnt out, I experienced the pitch black night, walking my dog in the evening. It frightened me, because we have had sightings of bears, in our area. I decided to go walking, only during the daylight hours!:)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Oct 17
@kobesbuddy Certainly a sudden surprise could perhaps provoke an attack.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
11 Oct 17
@JudyEv They aren't aggressive, unless the bear feels threatened. If they get startled by a human in the dark, couldn't that create a threat?
1 person likes this
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
6 Oct 17
I am a country girl and sleep best without traffic and other distracting things. I don't usually leave night lights on unless we have company.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
6 Oct 17
i'm not used to total darkness. i don't need to turn on the light when i need to pee because the streetlight helps. we do have a light outside the toilet.
i do appreciate that even though i'm in the city, we can still see starts at night. (of course, there's more in the province, and it's quieter and cooler)
i know that in other countries, there's light pollution, meaning, there are so many artificial lights at night you can't see any stars above.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (91063)
• United States
5 Oct 17
Wow 1,000 posts is amazing I have night lights in my upstairs hallway that plug into the outlets. They give off just enough light and I've had them since my mom lived here as I was always afraid she'd fall down the stairs when going to use the bathroom if the hallway was completely dark. I'm so used to them I just kept them plugged in.
Love your picture and those roads do look interesting going through the mountain area
I have night lights in my upstairs hallway that plug into the outlets. They give off just enough light and I've had them since my mom lived here as I was always afraid she'd fall down the stairs when going to use the bathroom if the hallway was completely dark. I'm so used to them I just kept them plugged in.
Love your picture and those roads do look interesting going through the mountain area2 people like this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Oct 17
Congrats on 1,000!
I live in the woods an I love no lights and less noise. Its totally dark inside here too, I know my way around so I can walk through here in the dark
2 people like this
