Sleepyhead: The Neuroscience of a Good Night's Rest

by Henry Nicholls

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Author: Henry Nicholls

Publisher: Basic Books

Hardcover:
ISBN 10: 1541672577
ISBN 13: 978-1541672574

A narcoleptic's tireless journey through the neuroscience of disordered sleep

Whether it's a bout of bad jet lag or a stress-induced all-nighter, we've all suffered from nights that left us feeling less than well-rested. But for some people, getting a bad night's sleep isn't just an inconvenience: it's a nightmare. In Sleepyhead, science writer Henry Nicholls uses his own experience with chronic narcolepsy as a gateway to better understanding the cryptic, curious, and relatively uncharted world of sleep disorders. We meet insomniacs who can't get any sleep, narcoleptics who can't control when they sleep, and sleep apnea victims who nearly suffocate in their sleep. We learn the underlying difference between morning larks and night owls; why our sleeping habits shift as we grow older; and the evolutionary significance of REM sleep and dreaming. Charming, eye-opening, and deeply humanizing, Sleepyhead will help us all uncover the secrets of a good night's sleep.

Review

"A charming analogy... [Nicholls] covers some fascinating material, from the rare prion-driven disease known as fatal familial narcolepsy to the potentially atavistic nature of cataplexy."―Science

"Brilliantly clear and enthusiastic... Henry Nicholls manages to combine detail with passion."―David Shukman, BBC

"The most in-depth and accessible insight into narcolepsy that I've come across."―Dan Collins, Fresh Tracks

"A thoughtful examination ... thought-provoking, and Nicholls arranges his material expertly, blending the personal the scientific ... an important book about an overlooked side of human experience."

―Big Issue

"Blends personal stories, historic accounts, scientific investigations, and literary references in an engaging chronicle of humanity's quest to understand what sleep is, why it's important for health, and how, as Nicholls writes, 'the pace of modern society poses many threats to the quantity and quality' of it. Sleepyhead is full of surprising and fascinating information about a host of sleep issues, ranging from rare circadian rhythm disorders to the much more common sleep apnea, which put sleep disorders medicine on the map."―Project Sleep

"Sleepyhead represents a successful attempt by Henry to provide a concise, readable and scientific overview of the sleep disorders most prominent within society, as well as sleep in general...By shedding a light on the most disabling-end of narcolepsy, of cataplexy, of sleep apnoea and so forth, Henry has provided a voice for those that were previously ignored."

―Jonathan Watkins, Myza

"In this charming book, a chronic narcoleptic takes on the curious world of sleep, from the role of dreaming in evolution to why our sleeping habits change as we age."―Spirituality & Health

"[A] stimulating exploration of sleep... Everybody sleeps, and Nicholls's entry into the genre of pop science books that use the unusual to illuminate the everyday has equally universal appeal."―Publishers Weekly

"[A] lively, accessible overview ... Nicholls writes fluidly about disorders of sleep, including insomnia, nightmares, and sleepwalking, as well as conditions with wildly bizarre features, from hallucinations to terrors to murderous behavior to paralysis... A fine introduction to sleeping: when it works and when it doesn't."―Kirkus Reviews

"Expertly weaves anecdote and science."―Times (UK)

About the Author

Henry Nicholls is a renowned science writer and author of three books. He has also written for Nature, New Scientist, and hosts the Guardian's "Animal Magic" blog. Nicholls lives in London.

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Sleepyhead: The Neuroscience of a Good Night's Rest