Why We Sleep- Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker PhD

4.6 (8)
$18.00

Product Details

Web ID: 6560013

Why We Sleep is an important and fascinating book. . . Walker taught me a lot about this basic activity that every person on Earth needs. I suspect his book will do the same for you. —Bill Gates A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this stimulating and important book (Financial Times) is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber. With two appearances on CBS This Morning and Fresh Air's most popular interview of 2017, Matthew Walker has made abundantly clear that sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when it is absent. Compared to the other basic drives in life—eating, drinking, and reproducing—the purpose of sleep remains more elusive. Within the brain, sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge, inspiring creativity. In this compelling and utterly convincing (The Sunday Times) book, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range- Adult
    • Format- Paperback
    • Product dimensions- 5.4" W x 8.3" H x 1" D
    • Genre- Health & wellness
    • Publisher- Scribner, Publication date- 06-19-2018
    • Page count- 368
    • ISBN- 9781501144325
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6/5

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8 months ago
from Nashville, Tennessee USA

A better understanding of sleep

Along with the brain, sleep remains as one of the frontiers of biomedical science. Over a century ago, Sigmund Freud attempted to explore the nature of dreams, but his first attempts seem generally off mark to modern science. Current work has much more evidence to inform it, but few have the time to learn about it. Fortunately, Matthew Walker, a research scientist (notably not a physician), presents a summary of contemporary scientific insights about sleep. He also offers numerous practical applications that can help us all get better quality sleep to live a better quality life. I have a sleep disability whereby necessary medication causes me to sleep 11-12 hours per night. That change was a tough pill for me to accept, but over two decades later, I have come to accept it as a necessary part of my life. At the same time, I begun to have more vivid dreams. I remain very interested in this topic, and that interest led me to this book. I’m glad I found it. Walker takes on a variety of topics around sleep and hardly leaves any one untouched. He talks about sleeping pills, dream interpretation, the length of sleep, early waking for schools, and medical residency training, among many others. His reasoning appears balanced and sound. He does not come across as overly preachy, but he does recognize the real, practical, human value of sleep science. He addresses current cultural controversies through science but, as you’d expect from a scientist, does not engage in culture wars. I’ve learned a thing or two about recent sleep science that will help me along. Most people have a relationship with sleep that’s unique to them, and I suspect most people possess some degree of emotional feelings towards sleep. This book can address both of those life segments in a way that makes their lives better. The author’s words are directed towards a general audience, not just scientists. While heavy on the science, it provides a good reminder that the hours that we’re least active can be the most productive in our lives.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from Chicago. IL

Highly recommended!

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (Hardcover) by Matthew Walker This was a fascinating and enlightening read about how sleep deprivation can affect learning, memory, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, immunological disease, sports performance, and even death. Meticulously researched, with scientific documentation, Neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. The book reads easily, it's easy to understand, and provides a throve of research on the benefits of sleep. Highly recommended!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from B&N Home Office

So Much Great Info!

I love books that can take a concept, such as sleep, and show how its can affect not only you as an individual but also society as a whole. All I can say is, I will never feel guilty for sleeping too much again.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from South Carolina

Why We Sleep

The book certainly did answer the question about why we sleep and how it's beneficial to us to get sleep. I liked the book a lot. Some other people who have read it have talked about how the author doesn't give a lot of helpful advice for habit formation. It is true that he does not talk in depth about how to improve a person's sleep beyond talking about stuff like lighting and temperature changes, falling asleep at the same time every day, avoiding certain substances, and a list of twelve things people can do to sleep better and explaining each. He mentions Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a good way to go for people who have any degree of insomnia, although this book did not write about cognitive behavioral therapy in any depth.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago

An eye opener

Really enjoyed this. The topic could have been quite boring, but the author did a good job of making it interesting and relevant.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

3 years ago
from Houston, TX

Great book on importance of sleep!

I bought this book after watching PhD. Matthew Walker's Ted Talks. Until before reading this book, I was not truly aware of my sleep and the impact it had in my overall health. I am truly grateful for the author's insights, lessons and tips. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a further step into living a healthy life.

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

5 years ago
from Austin, Texas

A must-read

Many people are under the misconception that they can get along just fine with less than 8 hours of sleep, but they don’t realize that they will be more prone to diseases, including obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, and die at a younger age—all of which the author, a sleep scientist and professor at UC-Berkeley, explains in layman's language. The author also provides advice on how to get a good night's sleep. Because of the relationship between sleep and learning, this book should be required reading for every high school student, preferably in the 9th or 10th grade so that they can benefit from the author's insights as early in their academic career as possible. Well written and extremely informative!

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

5 years ago
from Pittsburgh, PA

Comprehensive understanding of the need for sleep

This was a rather illuminating book. The assertions are all backed up by scientific research (not all conducted by the author). It really does give a very good understanding of the "why" sleep is important, instead of just saying that you need to get more sleep. The author is a pretty renowned member of the sleep-science community. His writing is solid (although a bit long-winded to reach the point), and the book is enjoyable and interesting at the same time. Although, around the middle of the book, I did get the feel that he thinks good sleep is a cure for everything; similar to how some homeopathic doctors think they can cure cancer (or prevent) cancer by their methods. So, it begins to feel a bit biased in the area he speaks of general health. But, he recovers nicely thereafter. That being said, I recommend everyone to read this as it brings to light (pun intended) much of the misinformation and bravado-laden thoughts about sleep in society and basically reveals them as they are: utter garbage. I do agree that much of employee-employer relations is based on a "I don't need much sleep, so I'm a better human" mentality. Dr. Walker's work does show, scientifically, that this is just not so. Your skills increase with more sleep. Practice, then sufficient sleep is better than practice, more practice, then less sleep. There are two questions I wish were answered: #1 How long does it take to "recover" or get back to "normal" after having mild sleep deprivation? We all have had times whether due to our own procrastination, or elements out of our control, when we did not "have time" to get adequate sleep. So, how long must your re-adhere to these wise standards to regain normalcy? #2 How much of this is tied to your own individual psychological makeup? In other words, there is always some wiggle room in any scientific study where you are looking at a large cross-section of the population. So, is there a way to tailor make your sleep schedule instead of using the old trusty 8 hours? Those questions notwithstanding, I encourage you all to try this book and perhaps your outlook on the importance of sleep will be changed. Mine has been. Thanks Dr. Walker.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com