Songs About Sleep Disorders

We've all heard of the tortured artist. Musicians who plumb the depths of their anguished souls to write the songs that they hope millions of fans will one day sing along to. While we're used to hearing about artists suffer from depression or drug addiction, it's actually not uncommon for musicians to suffer from sleep disorders as well. Sometimes the lack of sleep makes its way into a song as well. Here are just a few songs about sleep disorders and not getting enough sleep.

“Narcolepsy” – Third Eye Blind

If the title doesn't give away that this song is written from the perspective of a narcoleptic, maybe the chorus will: “I try to keep awake/I try to keep awake/I try to keep awake/But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide/into another nightmare.”

“Brain Stew” - Green Day

This song lets you know what it's about right from the start: “I'm having trouble trying to sleep/I'm counting sheep but running out.” If that isn't enough of a hint that this song is about a sleep disorder, the fact that it's from an album titled Insomniac should give it away.

“Insomnia” - Faithless

This dance hit from the 90s also deals with not being able to fall asleep at night: “I toss and turn without cease/like a curse, open my eyes and rise like yeast.” The song actually re-charted in the UK in 2005, ten years after it first hit the charts.

“Insomniatic” - Aly & AJ

The female rock duo's made-up word insomniatic takes insomnia one step farther. As the band defines it, insomniatic means “A state of mind where one becomes addicted to the deprivation of sleep caused by an epic revelation of joy.”

Motörhead

Apparently the band Motörhead has consistently struggled to get some sleep, as evidenced by the name of their classic live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, and one of its followups, titled Nö Sleep at All.

“I'm So Tired” - The Beatles

John Lennon must have had his own sleep disorder problems, as he sang, “I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink/I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink.”

“Sleepwalk” - Santo & Johnny

Sleep disorders were even a problem for musicians back in the time we now refer to as the “Golden Oldies.” While Santo & Johnny's version doesn't include the lyrics they wrote for the song, later covers included their words: “Instead of dreaming/I sleepwalk/Cause I lost you.”

“Let Me Sleep” - Pearl Jam

Sometimes the cold of winter can make even Christmas a sleep deprived season, in what was the first of many Christmas singles for the celebrated rock band.

Kevin Johnson writes for Sleep Genius. He is a writer at Fusion 360, an advertising agency in Utah.