In the beginning, Derek's days were an endless loop.
An infinite circle that he traveled on day in, and day out. Knowing with a soul crushing certainty that it would never end. In truth, he had been barely able to distinguish between the night and day. After all, day was when people were awake and they worked, pushing hard to achieve their goals. Or do whatever it was that they wanted to do with their lives. All under the light of the sun.
And night was meant to be for rest, for sleep. But for Derek, it had all been just one endless push, one endless struggle.
He had long ago lost the ability to properly distinguish between the two. During that dark time in his life. Derek had been certain that that was the way that things would always be for him. And given how many years he had suffered with his insomnia, Derek had not been dramatic in thinking that. Things really had been bleak back then.