After decades of sleeping with the enemy, I’ve heard every well-meaning sentiment from friends, colleagues, coffee shop baristas, doctors, and therapists. Apart from the hardcore prescription drugs which continue to save me (thanks Doc), there’s only one piece of advice that’s actually helped, and it’s from Fight Club in the scenes – notably – before Jack’s insomnia gives way to schizophrenia and Tyler Durden’s mass destruction. He goes to the doctor to ask for some sleeping tablets and the doctor says, “No, you can’t die of insomnia” and Jack says, “Maybe I died already. Look at my face” and the doctor says, “You need to lighten up” and Jack says, “Can’t you give me something?” and the doctor says, “You need healthy, natural sleep. Chew valerian root and get some more exercise.” So not the valerian root bit – that’s definitely in the pile of things not to say to an insomniac, but the “No, you can’t die from insomnia” bit is what comforts me most as dawn breaks – because it’s true! I’ve asked every doctor and psychologist I’ve ever met and they’ve affirmed that as far as medics know, no one has ever died from insomnia alone (without other conditions).