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What keeps you awake at night?

196 answers answered between 2008 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

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Tony Judt Historian and essayist
My solution has been to scroll through my life, my thoughts, my fantasies, my memories, mis-memories, and the like until I have chanced upon events, people, or narratives that I can employ to divert my mind from the body in which it is encased. These mental exercises have to be interesting enough to hold my attention and see me through an intolerable itch in my inner ear or lower back; but they also have to be boring and predictable enough to serve as a reliable prelude and encouragement to sleep. It took me some time to identify this process as a workable alternative to insomnia and physical discomfort and it is by no means infallible. But I am occasionally astonished, when I reflect upon the matter, at how readily I seem to get through, night after night, week after week, month after month, what was once an almost insufferable nocturnal ordeal. I wake up in exactly the position, frame of mind, and state of suspended despair with which I went to bed—which in the circumstances might be thought a considerable achievement.
Recorded The New York Review of Books, 14 January 2010 issue; the first of a series of short reflections dictated during his illness, 14 January 2010 source ↗
Omid Djalili British stand-up comedian and actor
Boothby Graffoe calling up to pester me into promoting his new album, available on Amazon and iTunes.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 August 2010 source ↗
Sinéad O'Connor Irish singer and songwriter
The possibility that my forensic accountant might not be mistaken about various people badly using me.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 June 2013 source ↗
Joan Bakewell English journalist, television presenter and politician
Wondering if I've turned the gas off.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 October 2013 source ↗
Donna Tartt American novelist and writer
All kinds of ridiculous things, like worrying about the lobsters I see in restaurant tanks in Chinatown.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 October 2013 source ↗
Marc Quinn British painter and sculptor
Almost anything seems super urgent to deal with at 4am. Then I can't remember it in the morning.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 May 2014 source ↗

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