Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me

Summary

Summary of “Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me”

Episode: Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me
Release Date: January 12, 2009
Host: Dan Kennedy
Venue: The Moth Mainstage
Length: Approximately 15 minutes

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Introduction to Mike Birbiglia’s Struggle with Sleepwalking

Mike Birbiglia opens his story by addressing the concept of conviction, intriguingly stating, “sometimes denial can be one of the greatest convictions” (02:00). He shares his personal struggle with sleepwalking, a condition that profoundly affected his life and relationships.

Recurring Nightmares and Initial Denial

About seven years prior to the telling, Mike began experiencing episodes where he would sleepwalk and have recurring dreams involving a “hovering insect like jackal” in his bedroom. Living with his girlfriend, Abby, he recounts, “I would jump on the bed and I would strike a karate pose” (02:15). Despite never having trained in karate, Mike mimicked poses from karate books, confronting the imagined threat.

Abby’s response became a routine: “there's no jackal in the room, go to bed” (02:30). This repeated denial became a source of trust between them, yet Mike remained convinced of the presence of the jackal, highlighting the tension between belief and reality.

Vivid Dreams and Physical Consequences

Mike narrates a particularly vivid dream where he competes in an obscure Olympic event, such as dustbusting. Initially placed third, he’s abruptly elevated to first place, only to find the podium “wobbling” (03:00). This unsettling shift leads to a fall from a bookcase, resulting in broken TiVo pieces scattering across his living room floor. Disoriented, Mike wakes to find Abby questioning the state of their TiVo, leaving him confused and concerned.

Ignoring Medical Advice and Adopting Self-Help Measures

Despite his alarming experiences, Mike admits to dismissing medical advice. “My dad’s a doctor,” he reflects, recalling how he brushed off concerns by declaring his busyness (04:00). Instead, he turns to self-help, purchasing a book titled The Promise of Sleep by Dr. Dement. The book provided practical tips, such as eliminating distractions before bed and adjusting sleep environments.

Through his research, Mike discovers REM Behavior Disorder, characterized by dopamine deficiencies that prevent the body from paralyzing during REM sleep, thereby allowing individuals to act out their dreams. This revelation brings him closer to understanding his condition, yet he postpones seeking professional help.

The Breaking Point: A Traumatic Incident

Approximately three years before the podcast, Mike's sleepwalking culminates in a dangerous incident. While performing in Walla Walla, Washington, and staying at a La Quinta Inn, he falls asleep watching chaotic news about war. In his dream, a guided missile targets his room, prompting him to react instinctively by jumping out of his second-story window, despite it being closed (07:00).

Mike describes the aftermath: “I was on the front lawn of La Quinta in Waiuaya, Washington, in my underwear, bleeding” (09:00). The shock of waking up injured in a foreign city blinded him to his surroundings, leaving him to navigate the early morning confusion alone.

Emergency Room Experience and Realization

Upon realizing the gravity of his actions, Mike seeks help at the hotel’s front desk, encountering an unfazed employee who simply responds with, “huh?” (10:30). With no one else to turn to, he drives himself to the emergency room, where he must explain his bizarre predicament multiple times. Repeating phrases like, “I’m the Hulk,” Mike illustrates the disconnect between his sleep-induced behavior and his waking persona.

Despite severe injuries requiring 30 stitches, the ER doctor expresses astonishment, “you should be dead” (12:00), to which Mike counters confidently, “no, you should,” showcasing his resilience and humor even in dire circumstances.

Seeking Professional Help and Implementing Solutions

The incident serves as a wake-up call. Upon returning to New York, Mike finally consults a specialist in sleep disorders. He adopts rigorous safety measures: taking strong sleep medications, sleeping in a sleeping bag up to his neck, and wearing mittens to prevent himself from opening the bag (14:00). These steps aim to eliminate the possibility of another sleepwalking episode.

Reflection on Denial and Personal Growth

In his conclusion, Mike connects his experience with denial to his career in comedy. “If it weren’t for denial, I wouldn’t be a comedian,” he muses (15:00). The ability to present oneself positively despite failures is essential for performing and succeeding in comedy. However, he cautions that excessive denial can be detrimental, as illustrated by his near-fatal sleepwalking episode.

Mike’s story is a poignant blend of humor and vulnerability, offering insights into the complexities of mental health, the importance of seeking help, and the fine line between confidence and denial.

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Key Takeaways

• Sleepwalking and REM Behavior Disorder: Mike’s experiences highlight the dangers of untreated sleep disorders and the critical role of medical intervention.

• Denial as a Coping Mechanism: While denial can foster resilience, it can also prevent individuals from addressing serious issues adequately.

• Humor Amidst Adversity: Mike uses humor to navigate and narrate his traumatic experiences, demonstrating the therapeutic power of comedy.

• Importance of Support Systems: Abby’s unwavering denial of the jackal symbolizes the complex dynamics of relationships when dealing with personal struggles.

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Notable Quotes

• On Denial: “Sometimes denial can be one of the greatest convictions.” (02:00)

• Describing the Dream Incident: “The window was closed, so I jumped through a window like the Hulk.” (06:30)

• Emergency Room Reaction: “You should be dead.”
  Mike’s Response: “No, you should.” (12:00)

• Final Reflection: “If it weren’t for denial, I wouldn’t be a comedian.” (15:00)

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Mike Birbiglia’s “Sleepwalk with Me” is a compelling narrative that intertwines personal struggle with moments of humor, offering listeners a deep dive into the interplay between mental health and personal resilience. His candid storytelling not only entertains but also sheds light on the importance of acknowledging and addressing one’s vulnerabilities.

Transcript

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[Dan Kennedy]

Welcome to the Moth Podcast. Hi, I'm Dan Kennedy. The Moth features true stories told live without notes. All stories on the Moth Podcast are taken from our ongoing storytelling series in New York and Los Angeles and from our tour shows across the country. Visit themoth.org the story you're about to hear by Mike Birbiglia was recorded live at the Moth mainstage.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I was thinking about conviction, and I think that sometimes denial can be one of the greatest convictions. About seven years ago I started walking in my sleep and I would have these recurring dreams that there was a hovering insect like jackal in our bedroom and I was living with my girlfriend at the time and I would jump on the bed and I would strike a karate pose. I'd never taken karate, but I had the books from book fair and I would say, abby, that was my girlfriend, there's a jackal in the room. And she got so used to it, she could talk me down while remaining asleep. She'd say, there's no jackal in the room, go to bed. And I would say are you sure? And she would say, yes, Michael, go to bed, there's no jackal. And I would say, okay. And I would go to bed knowing that there was a jackal and that's trust. It was around that time I had a dream that I was in the Olympics for some kind of arbitrary event like dustbustering, and they told me I got third place and I stood up on the third place podium, and I'm feeling good about myself. I'm new to the sport, you know, and they say, you know, actually we reconsidered, and you got first place. And I was like, oh, that's a marvelous promotion. You know, I got in first place. I move over to the first place podium, and it starts wobbling, and it's wobbling and wobbling. And I wake up, and I'm falling off the top of our bookcase in our living room. And I land on the floor, hard on top of our. And it broke into pieces, and I'm disoriented on the floor. It's like one of these stories where people blackout drinking, and they wake up in Idaho and they don't know where they are, and they're like, oh, no, Hardee's, you know, or whatever's there. But it was. But it was in my own living room. I was just like, oh, no, TiVo pieces, you know, And I went to bed, and Abby woke me up in the morning, and she said, michael, what happened to the TiVo? And I said, I got first place. And it's a long story. So at this point, I thought, you know, maybe I should see a doctor. And then I thought, maybe I'll eat dinner, because that seems more convenient. And. But a lot of people would say this to me. You know, my parents, you know, my dad's a doctor. He'd say, you know, you should really see a doctor. And I remember, you know, saying, you know, I'm really busy, and thinking these people were crazy, you know, like, they don't know how busy I am. And so I never went to a doctor, but I did purchase a book by a doctor named Dr. Dement, which is not the most calming name for a sleep doctor, but it's called the Promise of Sleep. And I learned, and these are helpful tips I learned, turn off cable news or the news before bed, turn off your cell phone, turn off the Internet, your computer, don't have big meals, that kind of thing. And I came across in the sleep disorders, a disorder that resembled symptoms of mine. And it was called REM Behavior Disorder. And people who have this have a dopamine deficiency. And dopamine is the chemical that's released from your brain into your body, that paralyzes your body when you fall asleep so that you don't do what's in your brain. So I thought, maybe I have this, and then I thought, maybe I'll eat dinner. So I never went to see a doctor until about three Years ago, I was performing at a college in Walla Walla, Washington. I'm a comedian by trade, and I was staying at a hotel called La Quinta Inn. And some people correct me. They go, no, no, no. It's La Quinta. I'm like, that's not fair. You can't force me to speak Spanish. I didn't press two. But I met. I met La Quinta in. In Waiah Wahing. And I fell asleep watching the news, you know, and it was sort of a story about war and something very chaotic. And I fell asleep, and I had a dream that there was a guided missile headed towards my room. And there's all these military personnel in the room with me. And I jump out of bed, and I'm like, what's the plan? And they say, it's come to our attention the missile coordinates are set specifically on you. And I thought, that's very bad, because I don't have a plan for that one. So I decided to jump out the window in my dream. And as it turns out, in my life. And there are two important details. One, I was on the second floor of La Quinta in. And two, the window was closed, so I jumped through a window like the Hulk. And I say that because that's how I described it at the emergency room in Walla Walla, Washington. I was like, you know, the Hulk, you know, he just kind of jumps through stuff. I have a habit of preemptively shouting when something traumatic is about to happen. Like, if someone were gonna come up to me after one of my shows. Cause they didn't agree with something I said, and they were gonna punch me in the face, my defense would be to just go, ah. That's all I got, you know, thinking maybe the person would be like, this is weird. I'm out of here. You know? And so this is a traumatic situation. I jump through the window and I scream, ah. And what was remarkable is that people of this disorder are capable of doing things they couldn't do in their everyday life. It's like blacking out, drinking, where you don't feel any pain or inhibition. I jumped through a second story window, and I landed on the front lawn of the hotel. I took a spill, I got back up, and I kept running. And I'm running, and I'm slowly realizing I'm on the front lawn of La Quinta in. In Waiuaya, Washington, in my underwear, bleeding. And I'm like, oh, no. And it was one of those rare moments in your life where, in retrospect, you're like, what the hell? And at the time, you're like, I guess I'll walk to the front desk and explain what happened. Fortunately, the person working at the front desk was mildly retarded. And I say fortunately because he was completely unfazed by what had just happened. It's three in the morning, the phones are ringing off the hook from people staying at the hotel who just saw the guy jump out the window screaming, I'm bleeding in my underwear. And I say, hello? Because as it turns out, you have to start some somewhere. I'm staying at the Hotel Credibility. I had an incident wherein I jumped out of my window, I am bleeding, and I need to go to a hospital. And I'll never forget his reaction because he just goes, huh? And I thought, this is the best possible reaction I could receive at this juncture. And so I drove myself to the hospital. You know, I'm all alone in this very remote place, and I wasn't gonna knock on people's doors at random. Hey, did you hear that guy screaming? That was me. I need a ride. You know, I mean. And so I drove myself. I checked myself into the emergency room. I had to explain what happened three times. You know, the nurse and the doctor and the front desk. I'm the Hulk. I'm the Hulk. I'm the Hulk. And the doctor, God bless him, worked on me until about 5:30 in the morning. And he put 30 stitches in my arms and in my legs. And even he's an emergency room doctor. And even he was like, you should be dead. And I was like, no, you should. I zinged him. And then about 5:30, I drove back to the hotel and I checked out and I actually, I paid for the window like any good window jumper would. And. And it was $300 for the window and about 49 for the room. And I went back to New York and I did what I should have done in the first place. When I saw the Jackal, I went to a doctor who specializes in sleepwalk disorders. So now when I go to bed at night, I take a very strong pill and I sleep in a sleeping bag up to my neck. And I wear mittens so I can't open the sleeping bag. So literally, if I had the same dream again, it would just be like. And so in closing, I think that if it weren't for denial, I wouldn't be a comedian. Because to be a comedian, you have to go on stage that first, those first few years and bomb and then walk off stage and think that went great because otherwise you'd never get on stage the next night. You would just think human beings don't like me. But sometimes denial can kill you. Thank you very much.

[Dan Kennedy]

Mike Birbiglia is a comedian who's the star of three Comedy Central specials and is currently performing his Off Broadway one man show Sleepwalk With Me at the Bleecker Street Theater. Our podcast host, Dan Kennedy is the author of the recently published book Rock An Office Power Ballad. Learn more at rockonthebook. He is also the author of Loser Goes First. The Moth is a nonprofit organization. Consider supporting our free podcast by going to our podcast contribution page or by becoming a moth [e-mail] where you can learn more about the Moth's upcoming shows and our corporate events and training program. And please tell us what you thought of today's episode. Tell us what you think of the Moth podcast in general. What do you love? What do you hate? What would you like to hear more of or less of? Email [e-mail] thanks to all of you for listening. We hope you'll have a story worthy week. Podcast audio production by Paul Ruast at the Argo Network.