Why do we sleep?

Product details

Sleep has long been one of the most important yet least understood aspects of life, health, and longevity. However, a wealth of scientific discoveries over the last two decades has begun to shed new light on the subject. Then came Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist and leading sleep expert, who clearly demonstrated the crucial importance of sleep, which, among many other functions, enhances our ability to learn and make decisions, restores balance to our emotions, strengthens our immune system, and regulates our appetite. This captivating, compelling, and insightful book, written in an easy-to-read style, is sure to completely transform the reader's understanding and appreciation of sleep and dreaming.

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"A clever tour of the still largely unexplored realm of sleep... A book that has set itself a specific task: Walker is in love with sleep, and he wants us to fall in love with it too. And it can't wait."
Walker makes a compelling case that we are suffering from a "silent epidemic of sleep deprivation" and that it represents "the greatest challenge of our time"... This book argues for addressing our sleep deprivation and for the benefits of sleep. A book worth keeping by the bedside for bedtime reading.

New York Times Book Review

"A leading sleep scientist is urging us to consider sleep more important to our health than diet and physical activity."

The Times

"A neuroscientist explains how a good night's sleep makes us smarter, more attractive, fitter, healthier, happier, and protects us from cancer."

The Guardian

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Dr. Matthew Walker is a professor of neuroscience and physiology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science and a former professor of psychology at Harvard University. He has published over 100 scientific studies. He has appeared on 60 Minutes, NOVA, NBC News, and NPR's Science Friday. This is his first book.