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Title details for Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker - Wait list

Why We Sleep

Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

by Matthew Walker
Steve West
Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
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"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 Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps towards getting a better night's sleep every night.

Clear-eyed, fascinating, and accessible, Why We Sleep is a crucial and illuminating book. Written with the precision of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Sherwin Nuland, it is "recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense" (The New York Times Book Review).

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 3, 2017

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781508240013
      • File size: 399335 KB
      • Duration: 13:51:56

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Odds are that listeners will relate to Matthew Walker's call for better sleep; two-thirds of adults are getting too little of it. Narrator Steve West's British voice is as calm and relaxing as it's meant to be. The first part of the discussion covers sleep studies and compares humans to the animal kingdom. Then Walker shares his conclusions, establishing a link between sleepless nights and Alzheimer's, obesity, cancer, and mental illness. He wraps up with a 12 sleep tips, all of which have been explained in detail earlier in the audiobook. Listeners will find this work to be both unsettling and fascinating--and will get a few tips for better sleep as well. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 21, 2017
      Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, begins his first book by reminding readers that until quite recently, the routine that most of us go through nightly was a mystery. Adopting a conversational style that belies his research background, Walker conveys his insights into the process of sleep with enthralling clarity. He recounts how once, after giving a lecture, he was approached by a pianist, who made the seemingly incidental remark that, after a good night’s sleep he can “just play” even demanding pieces, leading Walker to recognize how closely related learning is to rest. He also sheds new light on well-covered areas, revealing that Freud had developed a more biologically founded approach to dreams before formulating his famous theory. The biggest takeaway is not that lack of sleep can literally kill, but that most of us, without being in mortal danger, are still not getting nearly enough. Anyone who reads this book will (though perhaps only after a good night’s sleep) learn a great deal about one of life’s most basic, but also most profound, needs. Agent: Tina Bennett, William Morris Endeavor.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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