Synopses & Reviews
Why do we sleep? Are we sleeping enough? Do we suffer stress from "sleep debt"? Why do some of us struggle with sleep disorders? And how can we tackle sleep problems? These are the kinds of questions that make many of us toss and turn all night.
Jim Horne finds answers to these questions and many more in Sleepfaring, a journey through the science and the secrets of sleep. He reveals what goes on in our brains behind the veil of sleep, looks at body clocks, the values of napping, and the controversial question of "sleep debt," and also gives some hints from the latest sleep research that may just help you get a better night's rest. In recent years, the nature of sleep, our sleeping patterns, how much sleep we need, and the dangers of lack of sleep have become increasingly important, as people work longer hours, styles of working have altered, and the separation between workplace and home has been eroded by cell phones and the internet. From drowsiness at the wheel, to stress and insomnia, this is a subject that truly matters to people. Horne draws on the latest research in brain physiology, psychology, medicine, and the many social factors that contribute to sleep problems to reveal what science has discovered about sleep, and problems related to sleep-from snoring to sleep apnea. Nor does Horne shy away from controversy, challenging, for example, the conventional wisdom on the amount of sleep we actually need.
For anyone wishing to know more about the many mysterious processes that begin when we close our eyes each night, Sleepfaring offers a wealth of insight and information.
Review
"Sleepfaring: A Journey Through the Science of Sleep brings the reader on a fascinating journey through the sleep experience, beginning with an exploration of sleep throughout the animal kingdom. The journey is informative, as it clarifies more than a century of sleep study findings, and ultimately culminates with important conclusions regarding why we sleep...Sleepfaring is well organized, written in easily comprehendible terms, and understandable at a level that would allow it to be beneficial to both graduate and undergraduate students. It would serve both the university and public library well and would be an excellent choice as adjunct reading in a broad range of psychology courses."--PsycCRITIQUES
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
Why do we sleep? Are we sleeping enough? Do we suffer stress from "sleep debt"? Why do some of us struggle with sleep disorders? And how can we tackle sleep problems? These are the kinds of questions that make many of us toss and turn all night.
Jim Horne finds answers to these questions and many more in Sleepfaring, a journey through the science and the secrets of sleep. He reveals what goes on in our brains behind the veil of sleep, looks at body clocks, the values of napping, and the controversial question of "sleep debt," and also gives some hints from the latest sleep research that may just help you get a better night's rest. In recent years, the nature of sleep, our sleeping patterns, how much sleep we need, and the dangers of lack of sleep have become increasingly important, as people work longer hours, styles of working have altered, and the separation between workplace and home has been eroded by cell phones and the internet. From drowsiness at the wheel, to stress and insomnia, this is a subject that truly matters to people. Horne draws on the latest research in brain physiology, psychology, medicine, and the many social factors that contribute to sleep problems to reveal what science has discovered about sleep, and problems related to sleep-from snoring to sleep apnea. Nor does Horne shy away from controversy, challenging, for example, the conventional wisdom on the amount of sleep we actually need.
For anyone wishing to know more about the many mysterious processes that begin when we close our eyes each night, Sleepfaring offers a wealth of insight and information.
About the Author
Jim Horne is Professor of Psychophysiology and Director of the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Loughborough. He is a fellow of the Institute of Biology and the British Psychological Society, and is Editor-in-Chief of the
Journal of Sleep Research. Horne is the UK's best-known sleep expert-he is frequently called upon to discuss topics related to sleep and sleep disorders on radio and television, and writes regularly for newspapers and health and science magazines. His previous publications include
Why We Sleep (OUP 1990).
Table of Contents
Preface
1. Petunias, one eyed ducks and roly-poly mice
2. By the brain for the brain
3. The Substance of Sleep
4. Then
5. Odd Behaviour
6. Skin and Bones
7. Sleepiness
8. Higher Matters
9. Crashing Out
10. Time of Life
11. Time Travellers
12. Good night
13. Brain waves
14. REM sleep
15. Or REM wakefulness?
16. Cinema of the mind
17. The long, the short and the less
18. Are we chronically sleep deprived?
19. Things that go bump in the night
20. A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow
21. Snoring, gasping and jumping
22. Children
23. I sleep therefore I am
Appendix: Are you a lark, an owl, or neither?