In the 1950’s researchers discovered that sleeping is much more complicated than they originally thought. When the human body sleeps, it goes into a maintenance mode. Hormones are regulated, immune system is strengthened, and muscles are repaired and grown. They found that the neurons in the sleeping brain fire almost as much as they do in an awake brain. The key to a healthy and prosperous life was proper sleeping habits.
Over the next 70 years they made many discoveries about sleep and how lack of it can negatively affect the human body in many different ways. For example, a group of college student volunteers were studied in a sleep deprivation experiment. For 6 nights in a row, they only got 4 hours of sleep. Afterwards researchers found that the students had higher blood pressure, lowered resistance to the flu and signs of insulin resistance which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
As science made more and more discoveries, some of the experts started writing sleep books on their findings. The results were absolutely fascinating. They realized that if you alter your sleeping patterns that you can improve the quality of your life, feel better and even make more money. As time went on, more and more people realized the benefits of a good night’s sleep and decided to write a book to let others know of their discoveries.
Top 5 recommended books on sleeping
Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies
Shawn Stevenson was an aspiring athlete. He dreamed of playing professional sports until one day his dreams were shattered when he learned that he had a degenerative bone disease. Like so many people before him, he gave up on life. He let himself go and quickly became overweight and lethargic.
He then realized that he had the power inside him to fix what was wrong. He experimented with sleep and optimized nutrition and came up with what he calls the “14 Day Sleep Makeover”. In this book he teaches you how to create the perfect night’s sleep, along with various “hacks” that you can perform to help sleep your way to better health. A good portion of the book is focused on supplements and how they can benefit your health and sleep to keep you fit and mentally/physically sharp.
Shawn gives practical, common-sense tips on how to get a better night’s sleep. No expensive medical devices or anything of the sort need to be purchased. He is also the creator of “The Model Health Show” which at one point was the number 1 podcast on iTunes for Nutrition and Fitness. He shows you how to fix your broken sleep patterns which eventually will help you lead a healthier and more fulfilling life.
The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life
This New York Times bestseller is a primer written by Arianna Huffington (co-found and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post). In it she explores how society in this day and age has dismissed sleep as something that is not necessary to our health. Poor and/or lack of sleep can undermine our lives in ways we are only yet beginning to understand.
For those people who consider themselves to be night owls, this book is an eye-opener. There are many people out there who stay awake until the wee hours of the morning, only getting sleep when their eyes finally close out of sheer exhaustion. They tend to wake up the next morning feeling lethargic and tired. Over the years they have grown accustomed to this feeling, but don’t realize that poor sleeping habits are hurting their health and overall quality of life.
The book is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of sleeping. It’s jam-packed with facts, citations from scientific studies and real-world examples of why getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important aspects of a healthy and rewarding life. It shows why “pushing yourself” and burning the candle at both ends is never a good idea.
Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep
David K. Randall is the author of this “Amazon Best Books of the Month” from August 2012. In it he answers several puzzling questions about the science of sleep. The book chronicles human sleep from the dawn of man’s existence to how current day Olympic athletes are using “sleep hacks” to increase their performance.
This book focus heavily on the research of sleep, but it’s written in such a way that it entertains rather than bores. You don’t need a medical degree to digest the treasure trove of sleep-related information that this book contains.
If you have ever wondered about the science behind sleep, this is the book to buy.
David decided to write this book after waking up one night after sleep walking into a wall. He went to the doctor’s office and they put his body through a battering series of medical tests. They said that he was perfectly healthy, but David thought otherwise because sleep walking into a wall isn’t what most normal people do.
Over the next few years he researched the science of sleep and detailed his findings in the book he wrote. This thoroughly entertaining read is the culmination of years of his research into sleep and how it affects the human body.
The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night
Dr. Guy Meadows wrote this book to help those who suffer from insomnia finally get a good night’s rest. This is a drug-free and holistic approach to helping people who are sleep deprived. In it, he lays out a 5 week, comprehensive plan to combat and finally overcome insomnia.
He utilizes what he calls the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques in order to cure all levels of not being able to sleep, from tossing and turning for a few nights in a row, to chronic insomnia. The basic premise is that if you behave like a normal sleeper, you will become one.
Dr. Guy is a sleep physiologist from London. He got his PhD from Imperial College and has made it his life’s work to discover the secrets behind a good night’s sleep. His research over the years has led him to create this comprehensive, all-natural program that is intended to cure insomnia for good. He has pioneered many techniques that are being used world-wide to help those who are sleep depraved.
Sleep: No More Sleepless Nights
Another sleep book that focuses on how best to cure and treat insomnia is the “No More Sleepless Nights” by Richard Wilson. It is intended for those who suffer from chronic insomnia and find themselves sleep-deprived on a regular basis.
The book focuses on the various causes in your life that could be causing your insomnia. From stress, to poor diet to depression, these underlying factors could be the reason why you’re not able to get a good night’s sleep.
It offers relaxation techniques that you can perform right before bed, which are intended to help you fall and stay asleep for the next 8 hours. Diet and personal hygiene tips are also explored.
Your lifestyle may very well be the cause of your insomnia and you might not even realize it. There are people in life who should not drink a caffeinated beverage after 12 noon, otherwise they will have a tough time sleeping at night. We tend to think of our bodies as indestructible machines, but the reality is that our bodies are very sensitive to change and what we put inside them.
Many people who have read this book have been able to get a much better night’s sleep thanks to the tip and tricks that are contained within. The benefit to getting a solid 8 hours of sleep extends well beyond waking up in the morning and feeling rested and ready to start the day. Continually getting a good night’s sleep can benefit your body, your health and even your finances in ways you can’t even begin to imagine!