Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams

'Astonishing ... an amazing book ... absolutely chocker full of things that we need to know' Chris Evans 'Matthew Walker is probably one of the most influential people on the planet' Evening Standard THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER TLS, OBSERVER, SUNDAY TIMES, FT, GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL AND EVENING STANDARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017 Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world - Alzheimer's, cancer, obesity, diabetes - has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. In this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves into everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence. 'Startling, vital ... a life-raft' Guardian 'A top sleep scientist argues that sleep is more important for our health than diet or exercise' The Times 'Passionate, urgent . . . it had a powerful effect on me' Observer show more

Comments & Ratings about this product

The opinions of the users allow you to know what they think and the evaluation of other people who have purchased this product. If you have purchased this product before, please include your opinion.

ConsumerStore

06-06-2022 05:46

Overall rating (6/10):

Cindy W

15-08-2014 03:23

A brilliant book! All the latest science and research on our need to sleep and what it does for us. I learned how important it is to sleep well and why, dispelling some myths along the way ... for example, I thought I could "reach" the dream by taking naps ... it's not true ...

Overall rating (-1/10):

Rie M

26-05-2015 01:26

As a health professional, I found this book inspiring and stimulating. Maybe it's time we reverted 100 years of decrease in the quantity and quality of sleep. I recommend this book to all health professionals thinking that they want to take better care of their patients.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Rafael S

08-01-2012 07:42

I can not rate this book enough. As a mental health professional, I refer to this frequently and I recommend it to my patients. A must read for all and especially for parents

Overall rating (-1/10):

Paula G

30-05-2014 01:43

I can only recommend this book to anyone who has experienced that strange physical, mental and emotional state that we call sleep. As you can guess, I recommend this book to ALL! Reading the book of Dr. Matthew Walker has been a life-changing experience for me. Few books had such an impact on me. I spent years and years, sleeping only 4 or 5 hours and I have to shamefully admit that I was secretly proud of it. Before reading this book, I really thought it was the price to pay for success. Now I realize that it is the price to pay for a break early forever. Now I am committed to sleep at least 7 hours a week, NEVER less than 6 hours and with luck at some point in the near future, I will be sleeping 8 hours a night.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Debby I

03-12-2011 03:05

A very interesting book that I wish I had been available for years. It's written in plain English too, so it's easy to understand. My OH is not a reader, but even he is now reading it because he was interested in the fragments I read to him.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Alex W

14-04-2014 11:11

Some good science here simply explained to the general reader. Matthew Walker is a good neuroscientist, and his description of the science behind sleep patterns is very useful. Some of his philosophical reasoning about the evolutionary benefits of various sleep patterns is less convincing. In science, it is often shown that plausible explanations are incorrect. With that warning, a fascinating reading.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Charley M

03-05-2013 12:06

I was speechless with this book. Why do not I know? It was what I asked myself over and over again. I do it now, and it's a life-changing material, written in a very accessible way. Sparkly!

Overall rating (-1/10):

Alex F

07-08-2010 06:05

Very interesting and easy to read. Great book to get a deeper understanding of how important the dream is. He also has common sense and scientific advice to maintain a healthy sleep in a world that underestimates sleep. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in sleeping, practically anyone.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Jeanne H

07-04-2017 10:33

This is the best book I read in years. The author is a neurologist and talks about how the brain works when we sleep. How sleep helps the learning process, memory, etc. There is a science behind the dream, that few people know. I wish I had read this book when I was in college.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Kate R

17-10-2016 11:28

Fascinating. A lot of this is really common sense, but some of the data certainly makes you sit down and take notice. It articulates well and not with too much scientific jargon, only the essential, and often with humor! It has made me review my lifestyle, with some practical advice on how to improve my sleep patterns and I hope to prolong a healthy life. If you think that Walker has 8 hours of sleep, one night could be the best medicine that ever existed, and it is very convincing! I read it on my Kindle during the holidays, not in my usual Christmas reading, but I found it compelling and easy to read. A word of advice: do not get the Kindle edition if you want to do it over and over again, which I think you can. Although my Kindle is old-style, so it's less easy to use than the newer versions (without slipping!) Even with the newer models, I suspect it's harder to find what you're looking for than with a "proper" book " I can invest in a paper copy myself.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Henri T

04-08-2010 12:15

A friend recommended this book to me because I have had trouble sleeping. You go into great detail along with graphics to explain things along with additional information in the back of the book. Some of the information seems a little technical, but is justified when it comes to such a complex issue. I learned a lot about why we sleep and I would recommend this book to anyone who has trouble sleeping.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Nanaho C

05-04-2010 01:54

A colleague recommended this book to me, and although I just started reading it, I am already discovering some dazzling details about how the inevitable and relentless lack of sleep and disturbed sleep were found in my profession (I am a long-distance airline pilot ) is causing damage to my health in the long term. If you are a long-term shift worker, or enjoy (!) Burn both ends of the candle, you should read this. Mathew Walker's writing style is attractive, as are his Youtube videos, and you'll learn important information that could, literally, prevent your life from being cut off prematurely!

Overall rating (-1/10):

Nana O

10-05-2011 02:28

This book has opened my eyes. Are there days when you do not have a clear mind? Are you sometimes forgetful? Are you sometimes less optimistic than you used to be? How patient are you? Do you feel that you are not working well enough in sports? Do you sometimes feel dizzy? Do you have headaches? Why do you think it is? Are you drinking too much coffee? Are you having very little? Maybe you have high blood pressure? Or low? Maybe you need glasses or maybe it's your glasses or your contact lenses that make you dizzy and do not focus and give you headaches. Well, there could be a much simpler explanation. You could be deprived of sleep. Many people are and many do not even know it. This book explains why we sleep, the positive effects of sleeping on your mind, body and health and the negative effects that not sleeping enough has on them. I really enjoyed this book. I'm sleeping more now and I definitely feel much better, clearer and more energetic. Now I can clearly understand the effect that some nights in a row of not having enough sleep have on me ... and I can detect it and fix it easily by going to bed earlier! Life change

Overall rating (-1/10):

Miharu R

26-03-2017 12:42

Everyone should read this book and follow its advice. it is a comprehensive and exhaustive review of all aspects of the dream and its impact on the individual and society locally and globally. First addressing the dream process, why different phases of sleep are necessary for health and how modern life and technology interrupts healthy and natural sleep patterns, Walker establishes a persuasive context for the problems caused by the lack from sleep, from "sleepy driving" (responsible for deaths more avoidable than alcohol and drugs combined) to medical errors by sleep-deprived physicians, from personal exhaustion happiness to severely hampering the immune system. At my age, the attention call (ho ho) particularly powerful for me is the much greater likelihood of premature death, even in their sixties. We're reading this book for the BBC Radio Gloucestershire Book Club in June, and I'm glad this helps make your findings more of an audience. It's already an international bestseller, but I wonder how many people have really changed their long-term sleep habits as a result. I hope I can find the determination to change mine before it is too late, and I will press this book on everyone I know with evangelical zeal. Part of me is also pleased to find scientific confirmation of the old tales and instincts of the wives about the dream: "an hour before midnight is worth two after", "The dream is a healer of nature", "I have to sleep good ", etc. and many more are unassailable according to Walker. If we put the old wives in charge of the world, it would be a much healthier, happier and more peaceful place.

Overall rating (-1/10):

Add my opinion about this product