The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night's Sleep

It's tough to beat the credentials of the Harvard Medical School in the very crowded sleep category, and this volume meets expectations. Other reviewers here have described the contents well. And, the author's basic approach appears on the back cover, and is well described in the textual material. Turn your bedroom into the optimal sleep environment Finally overcome insomnia Silence buzz-saw snoring Relax restless legs Deal with daytime exhaustion Determine if sleep medication is right for you Improve your sleep by improving your child's sleep This approach is certainly good for people who do not travel often, and some of the ideas would carry over when you aren't sleeping at home. Learning how to fall asleep anywhere anytime is a great benefit for travelers. It can also be very helpful as one ages when it seems to be harder and harder to get to sleep. Years ago I learned how to fall asleep, any time, anywhere I want to. People often ask for the technique. I give them a copy of this book to be sure they have access to top flight science on the subject, and also the attached description of my personal technique. It works for me, but your mileage may vary. Robert C. Ross 2008

As part of the Harvard Medical School Guides, this book comes with considerable stature. It begins with an excellent chapter on the ABC's of sleep in which the science of sleep is discussed. In particular, the various types of brain waves and stages of sleep are examined. The following chapter deals with how much sleep we need; the author states that on the average Americans get 6.9 hours a night, and needs about 7.5. He emphasizes however, that there is a relatively large range in people. A particularly interesting chapter is one on sleep "myths," and one of the myths he explores is whether or not you need less sleep as you age. A central feature of the book is a 6 step plan for better sleep. This includes such things as a healthy lifestyle, maintaining good sleep habits, and watching for sleep sabateurs. He also has a long section on various sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea,and narcolepsy, and he does a good job of discussing each. In particular, he suggests treatments for each. His discussion of sleep medications is more complete than those in most sleep books. He talks about most of the medications on the market, both over-the-counter and prescription, and he give his opinion of many of them. Like most sleep specialist, he does not strongly recommend sleeping pills, but points out the they do have their place. He also discusses herbs such as valerian and melatonin. Overall the book contains a lot of useful information, and of course the author is a sleep specialist. It contains a more detailed discussion of the science behind sleep than "Good Night" by Michael Breus, and in general compares well with it. Although the two books cover many of the same topics, they compliment one another. One slight drawback is that it has no bibliography. Barry Parker Ph.D. Author of "Feel Great Feel Alive."

excellent coverage of normal sleep physiology. great on normal sleep needs, ways to recognize deficits (which can be sneaky) and ways to improve the chances for adequate sleep. common sleep disorders - recognition and treatment. a wonderful primer on all aspects of sleep health. some surprising statistics on the public health aspects of sleep: you will be amazed at how many people are affected by problems with sleep and how these affects manifest themselves.

There are a lot of sleep books out there, but this one is unique in presenting the latest research in a readable style. And it covers a wide variety of topics, from infant and child sleep patterns to problems common in seniors ... and everything in between. Whether you suffer from sleep problems yourself or struggle with a snoring partner, a colicky baby, or a sleep-deprived teen, you are bound to find answers here. My whole family bought this book-- three generations -- and we all sleep better now.