Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD.

“We are, as you will see, socially, organizationally, economically, physically, behaviorally, nutritionally, linguistically, cognitively, and emotionally dependent upon sleep.” says the author of Why We Sleep. Wow! Sleep literally affects every part of our life.

This book leans heavily into the science around sleep, of which there is a ton. Think of an area that touches sleep and I’d bet there is a study on it. From babies to the elderly, from darkened caves to earthworms, this author covers it all. It’s probably no surprise how deadly driving drowsy is, but did you know that your immune system doesn’t function as well on little sleep? Or that teenagers really do need to stay up late and sleep in in the morning to be at their best? How about the link to cardiac events, cancer and even dying from lack of sleep?

A comprehensive book on all things sleep, the author covers blue light, melatonin, alcohol, sleeping pills, the temperature of your bedroom, jet lag, caffeine, learning, memory and so much more. It truly is hard to think of what the author left out concerning sleep.

There is an entire section devoted to dreaming, what’s happening in the body when we dream, why we don’t act out our dreams, when in the sleep cycle we dream and the links to what happens when we are awake. Ever wonder why you dream the crazy stuff you do? Read the stats on what percentage of actual waking events show up in dreamland.

One of my favorite parts of the book was his research on bedroom temperature as this is an ongoing discussion in our house. Much to my delight, bedrooms should be cool at night! Our core body temperature must cool down before falling asleep and is the reason you flop your feet or hands out of the covers in the night.

If you’re interested in just how impactful sleep is to every single person on the planet, this is the book for you!