Sleep Disorders

Chapter 3

Nathan 🌵

Hypersomnia. I hadn't heard of it before. I mean I knew that there were other sleep disorders, but I didn't think that there was a sleep disorder that made it difficult for you to stay awake.

I decided to do some research. I switched on my computer and waited while the machine came to life. It was an old thing and I desperately wanted a new one but my parents said that they didn't have the time or money to go computer shopping. Sigh. I knew that my parents were going through a tough time, emotionally and financially, and I didn't want to be ungrateful. So while all my friends bragged about their new laptops and the latest software, I sat in front of my vintage computer. I had decided to name it "Dino", short for Dinosaur, because it was ancient like a dinosaur. Okay so it wasn't that old but the name stuck. Once Dino had fully awoken from his electronic slumber, I slumped into my computer chair and opened up the internet. I typed "Hypersomnia" into the search bar and while Google shuffled through it's extensive records for any information with this key word, I went down to the kitchen to get me something to drink.

Our little kitchen was always full of life. My mom was banging pots and pans as she prepared dinner, my dad was sitting by the counter while he read the afternoon paper and my little brother Tommy was eating a bowl of chocolate cereal (despite the fact that it was almost supper). The radio was tuned into some boring talk show that no one was really listening to and Lemonade, the family dog, was sniffing the ground, looking for any morsel of dropped food. I opened up the fridge and grabbed a soda before making my way back to my room. The webpage had finished loading and thousands of sites dedicated to "Sleep Disorders" and "Hypersomnia" showed on Dino's glowing screen.

"Hypersomnia, or excessive sleepiness, is a condition in which a person has trouble staying awake during the day. Persons with hypersomnia are compelled to nap throughout the day, sometimes at inappropriate times such as during a meal or conversation. These naps often provide no relief and may leave them feeling disorientated when they wake"

There were some real life stories about people who suffer from hypersomnia. Some people were positive not to let their disorder ruin their lives. Others complained about how it shattered their dreams and caused them to live in misery. It all sounded quite depressing really. My mind drifted towards the girl with the strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. Grace. I wondered if I would ever see her again. But why would I want to see her again? I don't even know her. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the rare sleeping disorder, but there's just something about her that's so beautiful and mysterious. And I've always had a thing for beautiful mysteries.

I was still thinking about her when my computer crashed.