Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker


 

Just finished the book - Why We Sleep by UC Berkeley sleep scientist Mathew Walker.

It’s a long book but really good and really important. We all believe that sleep is good for us but when it is backed by solid research and scientific evidence and data then it becomes a fact. The book has only one goal - to emphasize on the need of good quality, 7-9 hrs of sleep for each one of us or else we run into 100s of sleep disorders which lead to serious consequences and diseases.
The part in the book which explains how every animal species studied to date sleeps is mind boggling. Eg: dolphins and whales sleep with a half brain at a time - other half brain is awake to maintain life necessary movements in the aquatic environment. Imagine if humans could do that! There are many amazing examples from the animal kingdom that prove that sleep is universal.
Another mind boggling section is on Dreams which serve as overnight therapy. It can also give problem solving and creative advantage to some - Mendeleev dreamt of rows and columns for his periodic table. Similarly, Mary Shelly (Frankenstein) and Paul McCartney (Yesterday). The author calls these celebrities ‘nocturnal Troubleshooters.’ 😀

I particularly like the language the author uses (both literary and scientific).
‘Most people think nothing of losing an hour of sleep for a single night, believing it to be trivial and inconsequential. It is anything but. ‘
The book genuinely raises alarm for many corporate employees, students, health care workers, leaders, who get inadequate sleep which is affecting our society in a huge way - lack of productivity, trust and empathy.
It’s about time that each one of us takes sleep seriously as it’s just as important (if not more) as good nutrition and exercise. But what about MY dream? Well, I will just ‘sleep on it 🙂.’
The scientist’s passion for sleep science is endearing and will rub off on you, just as it did on me.
A must read! I highly recommend it to everyone.

Comments

  1. KamalaAugust 17, 2021 at 12:01 PM

    Wonderful review! Looking forward to your book reviews.

    ReplyDelete

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