--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was…" description: "\"Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was hard to explain this to people. “You know the light that comes on when you open the refrigerator door? Just imagi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/barbara-kingsolver-200_different_insomnia-s-different-i-said-it-was-hard_969721.png" --- # Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was hard to explain this… ![“Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was hard to explain this to people. “You know the light that comes on when you open the refrigerator door? Just imagine it stays on all the time, even after you close the door. That’s what it’s like in my head. The light stays on.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/barbara-kingsolver-200_different_insomnia-s-different-i-said-it-was-hard_969721.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/barbara-kingsolver-200_different_insomnia-s-different-i-said-it-was-hard_969721.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/barbara-kingsolver-200_different_insomnia-s-different-i-said-it-was-hard_969721.png) > “Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was hard to explain this to people. “You know the light that comes on when you open the refrigerator door? Just imagine it stays on all the time, even after you close the door. That’s what it’s like in my head. The light stays on.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Insomnia feels like a perpetual refrigerator light, an unending mental illumination. **In simple terms:** Insomnia is a constant, bright mental presence. Key Takeaway Seek ways to dim the mental light. Themes sleep mental health perception Mood restless introspective Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - nighttime work - creative brainstorming - mindfulness practice - therapy sessions Key Concepts neuroscience subjective experience Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help you turn off the mental light? - How does constant awareness affect creativity? A Different Perspective Continuous light can cause anxiety and fatigue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Hard To Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-explain/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Insomnia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insomnia/) [Insomnia Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insomnia-different-1853425/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Light Stays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-stays-1853426/) [Open Refrigerator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-refrigerator-1406278/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Refrigerator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refrigerator/) [Refrigerators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refrigerators/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [For me, a kitchen is like science fiction. I only go there to open the refrigerator and take something out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-margret/for-me-a-kitchen-is-like-science-fiction-i-only-go-there-to-open-the/) [Ann-Margret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-margret/) > [When I open a refrigerator door and the light goes on, I want to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/when-i-open-a-refrigerator-door-and-the-light-goes-on-i-want-to/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [If you have to wear sunglasses to open the refrigerator you might be hung over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-have-to-wear-sunglasses-to-open-the-refrigerator-you-might-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love cooking and one of my favourite things to do with my husband is open up the refrigerator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-silverstone/i-love-cooking-and-one-of-my-favourite-things-to-do-with-my-husband/) [Alicia Silverstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-silverstone/) > [I had never been in a supermarket before coming to America. At home, my parents wouldn't let me open the refrigerator, because they worried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-deng-murdoch/i-had-never-been-in-a-supermarket-before-coming-to-america-at-home-my/) [Wendi Deng Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-deng-murdoch/) > [It never happens that, when we go home and open the refrigerator, we see all infinitely many prime numbers there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kato/it-never-happens-that-when-we-go-home-and-open-the-refrigerator-we/) [Kato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kato/) > [It appears that every mans insomnia is as different from his neighbours as are their daytime hopes and aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald-2/it-appears-that-every-mans-insomnia-is-as-different-from-his/) [F Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald-2/) > [It appears that every man's insomnia is as different from his neighbours as are their daytime hopes and aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-appears-that-every-man-s-insomnia-is-as-different-from-his/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [A refrigerator runs by converting the dust behind it into a peculiar mutant, reptilian substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-mcenroe/a-refrigerator-runs-by-converting-the-dust-behind-it-into-a-peculiar/) [Colin McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-mcenroe/) > [My refrigerator is full of kale and greens. I can't imagine something greasy, or eating meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/my-refrigerator-is-full-of-kale-and-greens-i-can-t-imagine-something/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [A cluttered refrigerator door is to a growing family what a wet nose is to a healthy dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-borgman/a-cluttered-refrigerator-door-is-to-a-growing-family-what-a-wet-nose/) [Lori Borgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-borgman/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [My son would walk to the refrigerator-freezer and fling both doors open and stand there until the hairs in his nose iced up. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/my-son-would-walk-to-the-refrigerator-freezer-and-fling-both-doors/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Never be less interesting than your refrigerator magnets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/never-be-less-interesting-than-your-refrigerator-magnets/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I grew up in Harlem. My grandmother was one of the best cooks around, but the first thing she did on Sunday mornings when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-grew-up-in-harlem-my-grandmother-was-one-of-the-best-cooks-around/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) [Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Insomnia’s different,” I said. It was hard to explain this to people. “You know the light that comes on when you open the refrigerator door? Just imagine it stays on all the time, even after you close the door. That’s what it’s like in my head. 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