This book was recommended by my doctor when I mentioned insomnia. I have always been a poor sleeper and need less sleep than most. I knew most of this book's material but had not considered the difference between insomnia and sleep deprivation. Some of the ideas and products I found interesting to try. Easy read over 2 nights. ( )

I’ve actually written this book review, based on the Blinkist summary of the book. I’ve not yet read the full book. But I’ve found where I’ve had the opportunity of reading both the Blinkist summary and the full book, that Blinkist have done a really good job of extracting the essence. However, in the case of this book, I’m not inspired enough to seek out the original. But here are a few extracts that caught my attention:
To get rid of waste, the brain uses the so called glymphatic system which removes toxins including amyloid beta,....This system is 60 percent more productive when you’re sleeping,
Several studies have shown that poor sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. It can also contribute to an unsynchronized heart rhythm, which in turn can lead to blood clots in your system–a major cause of strokes.
Another benefit of good sleep is that it gives your immune system a boost......In 2015, a study at the University of California found that, after being exposed to the cold virus, those who slept six hours or less were more likely to develop a cold than those who slept for seven hours or more. [Well how much more likely? I’m not greatly convinced by this one claim with no figures on statistical significance or the increased “likelihood of catching a cold]
everybody sleeps–some just don’t sleep effectively.
A lack of sleep results in sleepiness. Fatigue is something else. Fatigue can be caused by a lack of sleep, but there are several other factors that could lead to this condition. A person suffering from fatigue may have a Vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes or could be experiencing depression.
What causes sleepiness?
1. The first cause is medication, as some drugs can make you sleepy.
2. Second is sleep deprivation,
3. The last cause is sleep dysfunction.
We do know that there are three stages necessary for satisfactory sleep.
1. The first is light sleep,.....from which it’s easy to wake up......Light sleep can be divided into N1 sleep and N2 sleep. While you spend a mere five percent of a night’s sleep in the N1 state, you will spend around 50 percent of it in the N2 state.
2. The next is deep sleep, or N3 sleep.......Most deep sleep occurs during the first half of your night’s sleep. Adults tend to spend 25 percent of each night in deep sleep, but this number declines with age......During this period, the most growth hormones are produced. Therefore, it’s needed to boost your immune system, help you recover from injuries and strengthen your bones and muscles.
3. The author dubs the third stage dream sleep, but its scientific name is REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement......Scientists are still trying to discover why this happens...... During REM sleep, your brain’s activity is very similar to when you’re fully awake, but muscle activity is low. This stage accounts for 25 percent of your night’s sleep, and it occurs four to five times every night in 20-to 40-minute cycles
Over the course of a night, you transition from N1 to N2, then to deep sleep, back to N2 and then to REM sleep.
Circadian rhythms are a system of bodily processes that operate on a 24-hour cycle, and determine when you feel sleepy and when you feel awake......Research has shown that the internal daily cycle of all humans is fixed at 24 hours and 11 minutes......For your circadian rhythms to function correctly, you need zeitgebers. These are cues that help set your internal body clock, with the sun being the most powerful one. Exercise, sleep and meals at specific times are further examples.
The term sleep hygiene refers to the process of controlling your environment and pre-bedtime behaviour in order to have the best sleep possible......Your bedroom should be submerged in complete darkness. This is because your eyes sense when it’s dark and send signals to your brain, which in turn makes your pineal gland produce melatonin–the chemical responsible for making you feel sleepy......It’s good idea to turn off your phone
Don’t forget about bedding either!
Another useful idea for better sleep is to develop a sleep routine......Whatever you do, just make sure to keep it consistent so that your body can adjust to it.
In the United States, insomnia is something of an epidemic, with over 20 percent of the population being affected by it.....Insomnia is the feeling of being bothered by an unsatisfactory level of sleep......Not falling asleep when you want to, which is known as sleep-onset insomnia, and not being able to stay asleep throughout the night, is sleep-maintenance insomnia.
The second element of insomnia is a feeling of annoyance as a result of this poor sleeping experience......The condition is often caused by anxiety, stress or certain medical issues.
sleeping for less than six hours a night is often linked to obesity.
Medical research usually finds that sleeping pills marginally decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and minimally increase the length of a night’s sleep. Interestingly, sleeping pills actually reduce the amount of deep sleep needed to feel rested.....Initially, such pills were developed for short-term and sporadic use, and when they’re used in this way, they can indeed prove to be quite beneficial.....You will need to know when to take the pills, for how long, when to stop and when it’s unsafe to take them.....A better solution than sleeping pills is having a consistent sleeping schedule to adhere to, which you’ll learn about in the next blink.
Having a regular wake-up time is hugely beneficial for your overall sleep.
However, if you continue to let your sleep control your schedule, you’re permitting it to control your life......When establishing your sleep schedule, it’s also a good idea to discover how much sleep you need. The amount required varies from person to person, so to find out, follow an exercise known as sleep restriction....The way this works is to first set a wake-up time–let’s say 6:30 a.m. Now, count five-and-a-half hours backwards from that time, which in this instance would be 1:00 a.m. This is when you’ll go to sleep with no napping throughout the day allowed......Then, start adding 15-minute intervals to the amount of sleep you’re getting,.....Keep doing this until the sleepiness you feel during the day is gone. Once you’ve reached this point, you’ll know the amount of sleep you need. For most people, it’s between six-and-a-half and eight hours a night.
The key message in this book: It’s a myth that some people can function at their best without proper sleep. However, if you struggle to get good-quality sleep, there are steps you can take to improve it. Make sure your circadian rhythm is working properly, practice good sleep hygiene and stick to a consistent sleep schedule, and you’ll soon see a difference in your sleep, and your life as a whole.
My take on the book: He covers the ground but very little there that was new to me. (Though the technique determining how much sleep you need is certainly new to me). Overall, I rate it as interesting but not enough there to inspire me to seek out the full book. Three stars from me. ( )

I learned nothing new in this book except about sleep stages. This book forced me to scan a lot since I was bored with the stories that the author shared. ( )

What this book gave me is confidence. I can sleep, I do sleep - sometimes with difficulty, but that's ok. The book begins by describing exactly what happens when a human sleeps, with the intention of defanging the beast by demystifying it; this was extremely effective for me. Once the ins and outs of sleep are addressed, the author goes on to talk about what he calls "sleep hygiene". This involves setting up an environment that is conducive to sleep, and then changing how you feel about that space and the act of sleeping. The latter point really resonated with me because I had been feeling dread whenever bedtime was approaching since I assumed I would have a tough time sleeping. I found these early chapters extremely helpful. There are more chapters which discuss insomnia (hint: it's not what you think it is), more exotic sleeping disorders, sleep studies, and sleeping medications (hint: they hurt more than they help). These later chapters weren't covering anything I had trouble with, but I found them very interesting to read regardless.

One of the most helpful analogies from the book was when the author compared appetites and sleeping. He pointed out that if it is mealtime and we aren't hungry, it's no big deal for us to skip a meal because we know that another appetite, another meal, is around the corner. However if we have a bad night's sleep, or even miss that night's sleep entirely, we are likely to start worrying that something is wrong with us. We quickly lose faith that another good sleep is around the corner, and this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Highly, highly recommend. ( )

Pretty insightful. ( )