The middle years

“Was there a year in midlife when you ran on too little sleep?”

Tips for asking

The cause — work, illness, a child, a worry — and the way your body told you.

Listen for

What did pushing through that period reveal about your limits?

More from The middle years

“What is the thing you most often regret about the busiest years of your life?”

“What did you come to be known for, in those years — at work, at home, among friends?”

“Tell me about a midlife moment of unexpected kindness from a stranger or near-stranger.”