Product Description

Why do we sleep? How much sleep do we normally need, and what happens if you don't get enough of it? Professor Jim Horne finds the answers to these questions and many more in Sleepfaring, a journey through the science and the secrets of sleep. It's a subject close to the hearts of many of us as our sleep patterns have changed to reflect longer working hours and busier lifestyles. From drowsiness at the wheel to stress and insomnia, sleep is becoming a big issue in our lives. Professor Horne gives an engaging account of what science can tell us about sleep and sleep disorders, drawing in brain physiology, psychology, medicine, social factors, and results from the very latest sleep research. He looks at body clocks and sleeping patterns, the values of napping, and the controversial question of 'sleep debt', and also gives some valuable hints from the latest sleep research that may just help you to get a better night's rest.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70721 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Carol Cooper, Lancet
Anyone seeking a Travelogue around the Land of Nod will not be disappointed. It is as le Guide Michelin would put it, vaut le voyage

BBC Focus Magazine
an impressive amount of material...a handy tour d'horizon

New Statesman
Horne's arguments are compelling

Customer Reviews

Very informative and enjoyable read
I enthusiastically recommend this book if you want to find out more about how sleep works, from early experiments to the latest scientific research, it is all here.

The book is very well written and accessible - the author has got the balance just right (from my point of view) between the science and the anecdotal. This makes the book an "easy" read, but at the same time you gain valuable hard knowledge.

I am a prolific reader of both fiction and non-fiction books and this was one of my top reads for 2007. I recall and share many of the insights I gained from the book and can honestly say that it has changed some of my behaviours and anxieties relating to sleep in a beneficial way.

Very interesting!
I found this to be a very interesting account of the nature of sleep. It took me a while to get through it, as it is jam-packed with information, but it is all very well organised and very readable. Each chapter is divided into little bitesized pieces of information, so it's a book that you can pick up and read for five minutes and then put down for a bit without needing to back-track. The author also backs up claims with full references to sleep studies and research.

The book takes you right from the very basics of what sleep actually is, the stages of sleep, what sleep is essentially for etc, to experiments regarding sleep loss (in animals and humans), to sleep patterns (the body clock, jetlag, larks & owls etc), to REM sleep and dreaming, to sleep problems. It covers just about everything you would want to know about this essential part of our lives and is also scattered with helpful advice about how to get better sleep and how to deal with problems such as jetlag and insomnia that you can really use. I think it's a valuable resource that almost anybody could benefit from, whether you have difficulties with sleep or not.

On a last note, if you enjoy reading this, check out "Counting Sheep" by Paul Martin too.

You Can Find It All In Here!
Absolutely brilliant! It's a thorough look at everything associated with sleep an sleep problems. Not for those that just want a quick "manual" to getting better sleep. This is more for those that want the science and the theories in addition to all the practical tips the author serves up.
Highly recommended!