Even late at night, residents can be kept awake by a nearby restaurant's loud pet goose, supermarket or restaurants' ventilation fans and freezers, temples or businesses setting off firecrackers to seek divine protection at ungodly but auspicious hours.

BBC: Taiwan's noise pollution dilemma

He added the volume of the bell could be adjusted and no-one should have to be "kept awake at night".

BBC: New bell plan near site of 'lost kingdom' off Aberdyfi

It forestalls impatient souls, upset at the prospect of missed connections and lost hotel bookings, being kept fretfully awake when they would be far better off dozing away such temporal qualms.

CNN: From Our Correspondent: On a Magical Hill

The man who had once spent 67 hours flying in a seven-foot coffin round the world, sustained by protein milkshakes and a catheter and kept awake by talking to Richard Branson, had reckoned to be back by lunchtime.

ECONOMIST: Steve Fossett

Two ancient palms had once grown in his own front garden, but four years ago Nava had insisted that they be cut down, because the swish of their fronds against the bedroom window kept her awake at night and filled her with sorrow.

NEWYORKER: Waiting