Fascinating! Since childhood to this day, I use that same technique to ease myself into falling asleep. Personally, I see it as more relaxing than terrifying.
For me, terrifying can be read as a synonym for thrilling. It didn't scare me so much as fill me with awe, and delight, and any number of contradictory feelings.
Unfortunately, nowadays, I fall asleep much too quickly to contemplate the nature of universal size like I used to be able.
