Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance

I am a student in Professor Maas's Psych 101 course at Cornell University. Power Sleep is required for the course (Professor Maas does not make a profit on sales to Cornell students). I found this book extremely helpful. Though I've always thought that I was knowledgeable about the subtleties of sleep, I found that I was not upon reading this book. I've been plagued with illness and found myself sluggish for years. I was always forced out of bed after 8 hours by my mother, concerned that I get enough out of each day. Little did I know that I was trying to thrive at a huge sleep deficit. Since following Professor Maas's Power Sleep advice, my grades have improved in addition to my ability to think clearly throughout the day. I would recommend this book to anyone who has any type of sleeping problems, or even those who think that they are performing at their peaks!

A main thesis of the work is that sleep is critical to peak mental performance and concentration during the daytime. Sleep deprivation can lead to immune system breakdowns and decreased memory capability. The author recommends at least 10 hours of sleep daily for peak performance. In addition, there is a suggestion that we should make up for lost sleep as soon as possible. Some benefit may accrue for workers who get approximately 15-20 minutes of sleep at work . This book will help you to feel better if the advice on optimum sleep is followed. The work contains some important new perspectives on sleeping. The volume is well-researched and current in both information content and outlook.

Power Sleep is a dynamic and lucid book that I highly recommend to any individual who wants to live a more stress free life and maximize his or her daytime performance. As a first year college student, I did not realize the vitality of sleep in my life. Many college students do not realize how the amount of continuous nocturnal sleep they get affects other aspects of their life, including their ability to retain new information; however, Dr. Maas crystallizes these points. Dr. Maas' lucidity and practicality allow the reader to fully comprehend and conceptualize the information presented. For example, instead of Maas using dreary drawn-out language to describe the nightly sleep cycle, he incorporates friendly diagrams and brief explanations. Dr. Maas uses writing techniques which promote reader participation. For example, throughout the book, Maas asks several rhetorical questions, such as, "are you getting enough sleep?" These questions stimulate the reader to have a mental response, and therefore, interact with the book. Dr. Maas, fully achieved his purpose of informing the reader about the importance of sleep and ways of overcoming sleep deprivation. Read the book with intentions to change your life!

I just finished reading "Power Sleep", by James Maas, and I can honestly say that everyone should be reading this book. Every aspect of sleeping is covered which in turn helps the reader become more informed and thus, get a better nights sleep. From page one I wanted to know more and the information in this book kept me going until the last page. Thank you for writing a practical book.

In the months since I first read Power Sleep, I have referred back to the wonderful information contained in it many times, and each time, have found there is more to remember and to enjoy. Professor Maas' style of writing makes one want to even consider "losing some sleep," just to absorb this book non-stop. It is at once a valuable reference on sleep, both scientifically and practically; a book which is fun and entertaining, but also very challenging to read; and a subject well presented at a time when we all can be reminded of the restorative nature of getting enough sleep to be at our best each day.