Jason Mark Roehrig My Web Home

Seen on SBS Tuesday 24/07/2007 22:00

Wide Awake: A documentary on insomnia by Alan Berliner.

A couple of hours ago I got to watch Alan Berliner's documentary on insomnia titled Wide Awake, a title I find a little misleading, Foggy Wake being more appropriate. Never the less, a documentary worthwhile watching. All though, I have to be a little more specific with my summary of this documentary. Wide Awake is actually less about insomnia, as it is rather a personal description of someone living as an insomniac.

Alan takes the viewer on a visually pleasant trip through his life, while also allowing us a glimpse into a lifelong obsession collecting amongst other things, all kinds of film materials. He shows us the problematics that arise for most individuals colloquially labeled as night owls - referred to by psychologists as a delayed sleep phase syndrome [DSPS].

Treated to a peak into his family life, and allowed to partake in discussion on topic of Alan's obsession with the topic, one is allowed to speculate on what goes on in the minds of all those effected. After all, as much as we like to view ourselves as independent individuals, the human being is always part of a human network, and a persons habits will inadvertently have a ripple effect on those connected with.

Laying awake in bed, when others are sleeping.

Wide Awake had been especially interesting for myself, as I'm not someone known for regular sleep patterns. This becomes obvious by just looking at the timestamps attached to most of my articles posted on this site. Therefore I was interested in seeing how someone else experiences and lives with restless nights. Although, I would never have, and am still reluctant, to call myself an insomniac. After all, I do sleep a lot. Just not at times usually considered as "normal". I'm a little skeptical about the ability to train a night owl into a "normal" sleeper. At least not without having to pay a price in the individuals skill level and productivity. But this is rather due to my personal prejudice, then factual knowledge.

There is far more to insomnia, than can be depicted in a brief documentary. What Alan manges, is showing how he came to experience it, and the effect it has had on the different aspects of his life. Now I'm just wondering how he faired with the training program suggested by the psychologists who are experts in the field of sleep and DSPS.

Overall Wide Awake was a fascinating experience, and thought provoking on many levels. I can highly recommend this documentary for anyone interested in the lives of those who seem to work best at late hours.