I'm scared of the dark, too. I worry that something is lurking in the dark, and that my house being dark at night might make it attractive to someone who wants to break in.

I've found two ways to cope with it: one, I always keep some lights on in the house (I rotate which ones). Usually I have one downstairs light and one upstairs light on, so it always looks like someone is awake, and it helps me feel safer. I keep my bedroom light off so I can sleep, but the other lights upstairs keep my bedroom partially lit. Second, I take sleep meds, which make me so tired that the fear is less powerful. For now, this is the best solution for me.

I understand staying up late because you're scared to sleep. It's awful.