Ira Glass

The DVD that Dr. Carlos Schenck made explaining sleep disorders that we heard earlier in the top of the show is called Sleep Runners. Dr. Schenck also has this beautifully put together book about all this called Paradox Lost.

The DVD that Dr. Carlos Schenck made explaining sleep disorders that we heard earlier in the top of the show is called Sleep Runners. Dr. Schenck also has this beautifully put together book about all this called Paradox Lost.

Fact two, sleep's tiniest enemies. We now turn to people who battle at night, but not with their own dreams. These people battle critters, living creatures of the night. One of the producers of our show, Nancy Updike, has been looking into this.

Fact two, sleep's tiniest enemies. We now turn to people who battle at night, but not with their own dreams. These people battle critters, living creatures of the night. One of the producers of our show, Nancy Updike, has been looking into this.

And he showed it to you. It was a roach.

And he showed it to you. It was a roach.

How big was it?

How big was it?

A story from Nancy Updike. And oh, we are not done. We are not done with the critters that make people scared to climb inside their own beds. These people that you're about to hear, they all live in the same apartment building.

A story from Nancy Updike. And oh, we are not done. We are not done with the critters that make people scared to climb inside their own beds. These people that you're about to hear, they all live in the same apartment building.

A few years ago, at 349 St. John's Place in Brooklyn, you'd be able to tell that the bedbugs had returned by the amount of furniture being thrown out on the curb. If you walked down the block, you'd see mattresses and bookcases spray-painted with the words, Bedbugs Do Not Use, in big letters, to warn off neighbors who might think of taking the stuff home.

A few years ago, at 349 St. John's Place in Brooklyn, you'd be able to tell that the bedbugs had returned by the amount of furniture being thrown out on the curb. If you walked down the block, you'd see mattresses and bookcases spray-painted with the words, Bedbugs Do Not Use, in big letters, to warn off neighbors who might think of taking the stuff home.

Robin Semyon, another one of our producers, stopped inside.

Robin Semyon, another one of our producers, stopped inside.

Robin Semien, a week or two after we first broadcast this story in 2008, the landlord at 349 St. John's Place hired a new exterminator, started treating the building regularly. Stephanie told us that it worked, that her apartment became bug-free. The rest of the country is not quite so lucky. There's a huge bedbug boom in New York and major cities around the country.

Robin Semien, a week or two after we first broadcast this story in 2008, the landlord at 349 St. John's Place hired a new exterminator, started treating the building regularly. Stephanie told us that it worked, that her apartment became bug-free. The rest of the country is not quite so lucky. There's a huge bedbug boom in New York and major cities around the country.

Coming up, somebody who consciously trains himself not to fall asleep and then has to suffer the consequences. And more. That's in a minute. Chicago Public Radio, when our program continues. It's This American Life from Ira Glass. Each week on our program, of course, we choose a theme, bring you different kinds of stories on that theme. Today's show, Fear of Sleep.

Coming up, somebody who consciously trains himself not to fall asleep and then has to suffer the consequences. And more. That's in a minute. Chicago Public Radio, when our program continues. It's This American Life from Ira Glass. Each week on our program, of course, we choose a theme, bring you different kinds of stories on that theme. Today's show, Fear of Sleep.

We've arrived at Act 3 of our show, Act 3, The Bitter Fruits of Wakefulness. We have this story from Joel Lovell. A warning before we start this story to sensitive listeners that the story acknowledges the existence of sex and sexual feelings.

We've arrived at Act 3 of our show, Act 3, The Bitter Fruits of Wakefulness. We have this story from Joel Lovell. A warning before we start this story to sensitive listeners that the story acknowledges the existence of sex and sexual feelings.