Also called Are You Going to Sleep? · Brain at Night · Brain Won’t Let Me Sleep
You are ready to sleep. Your brain has one more question. Fill the three speech bubbles and leave the final, wide-eyed reaction to finish the joke.
The comic gives the brain its own voice, separate from the person who wants to rest. A late reminder or unanswered question arrives at exactly the wrong moment.
The final panel shows the effect without another line of dialogue. The thought should be specific enough that readers understand why this person is suddenly awake.
Hannah Hillam created the comic for BuzzFeed in June 2017. The original shows her trying to sleep before her brain interrupts with frightening possibilities, leaving her awake in the dark. [1]
Later edits changed the brain’s final remark while keeping the conversation and wide-eyed ending. A March 2018 version on Reddit’s r/ProgrammerHumor is an early documented example of that adaptation. [1]
Read the panels left to right, then move to the bottom row. The brain asks a question, the sleeper replies, and the brain introduces the thought that ruins the plan to sleep.
Keep the words inside the white speech bubbles. Use a short final question so the reader can reach the silent reaction without stopping to decode a paragraph.
Original captions to try with this template.
Original artwork by Hannah Hillam
The brain waits until bedtime to question whether an important email was complete.
Original artwork by Hannah Hillam
One missing detail interrupts the feeling of being ready for the trip.
Original artwork by Hannah Hillam
The possibility of one wrong setting is enough to reopen the night’s preparations.
References for this template. Example captions are original.
Credits Hannah Hillam and documents the June 2017 comic and later caption edits.
The original BuzzFeed collection.
