The Promise of Sleep The Scientific Connection between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep

William C. Dement, Christopher C. Vaughan, Christopher L. Vaughan

ISBN 10: 0333776216 / ISBN 13: 9780333776216

Published by Macmillan, 2000

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 0B14DB8A398828B

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Promise of Sleep The Scientific Connection between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep
• Publisher: Macmillan
• Publication Date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0333776216
• ISBN 13: 9780333776216
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

SLEEP BETTER, LIVE LONGER WITH THE GROUNDBREAKING INFORMATION AND STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAM IN THIS REVOLUTIONARY AUDIOBOOK Healthful sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity. And yet we are a sleep-sick society, ignorant of the facts of sleep -- and the price of sleep deprivation. Dr. William Dement, founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center, takes us on a fascinating tour of the sleeping body and mind, revealing the price we pay for ignoring sleep -- an epidemic of heart disease, 33 percent of traffic-fatigue-related accidents and immeasurable mental and psychological disadvantages. Dr. Dement offers a hands-on prescription for vibrant good health and longevity, self-tests to determine how much sleep you really need; information on the role of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids; the latest research on how sleep affects the immune system; how to combat insomnia, snoring, jet-lag; and much more.

Review

"We are a sleep-sick society," says William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. According to Dr. Dement, "sleep science" has yielded a great deal of scientific knowledge about sleep--yet the general public, and even doctors, aren't aware of it. Sleep disorders are routinely misdiagnosed or ignored, sometimes resulting in medical tragedy and death, frequently leading to chronic exhaustion. In The Promise of Sleep, Dr. Dement aims to remedy that by making the latest sleep information accessible to health professionals and lay readers. He describes the sleep cycle and gives a short history of sleep research. Then he dives into clear and detailed explanations of concepts and conditions we've all heard about, but that few of us understand: sleep debt, biological clock, circadian rhythm, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy. He discusses why we need sleep (sounds obvious, but it isn't) and the role of dreams. After 300 pages of sleep facts, Dr. Dement teaches you how to "reclaim healthy sleep" in your own life. You learn to assess your personal sleep situation by keeping a sleep diary, measuring your sleep debt, and evaluating your risk of sleep disorders; find appropriate treatment; manage sleep crises; and adopt a "sleep-smart lifestyle." A three-week "sleep camp" program at the end helps you put all the strategies together. This book will put you to sleep--and that's meant as praise! --Joan Price