Why We Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty first century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world : Alzheimer's, cancer, obesity, diabetes has very strong causal links to deficient sleep.

In this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves into everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence.

SLEEP FACTS:

• An afternoon nap increases the brain's learning capacity by 15-20%
• Sleep improves your memory, halting forgetting by 30-50%, relative to staying awake
• Not getting enough sleep increases sweet and salty cravings by 30-40%
• Sleep offers a three-fold bost in creativity and problem solving
• A good night's sleep improves time to physical exhaustion when exercising by 10-30%