Secrets of Sleep Science: From Dreams to Disorders

By: Craig H. Heller, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Craig H. Heller

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Sleep is the subject of intense scientific debate among biologists and neuroscientists. Why must we spend about one-third of our lives asleep? What exactly is sleep? Why does a lack of sleep impair our cognitive abilities and leave us vulnerable to a host of medical issues ranging from obesity to reduced resistance to infectious disease?

These 24 engrossing lectures take you to the forefront of the field to reveal what happens in the sleeping brain right down to the cellular and molecular level. You'll investigate what biological changes occur during wakefulness that are reversed during sleep - and why your brain forces you to fall asleep to repay an accumulated sleep deficit, no matter how dangerous the circumstances.

The science of sleep encompasses basic concepts of electricity, neuroanatomy, and neurochemistry, which are responsible for the "architecture of sleep." Professor Heller explains the science behind our circadian rhythms, REM and non-REM sleep, the physiology of dreaming, and more.

Sleep pathologies and disorders are among the most fascinating topics of the course. From disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome to parasomnias such as sleepwalking and night terrors, the most up-to-date findings in the science of sleep are truly riveting.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2013 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2013 The Great Courses

TONS of good information

These lectures are incredibly dense with pharmacology, psychology, psychiatry, physiology...all around sleep. My frustration with sleep has always been that we know so little, but these lectures crystallize just about everything. Taken that way, it's an awful lot. Also, for bad sleepers like myself, there is a lot of practical advice and even the occasional glimmer of hope in here, particularly for what the future may bring. Well done and well worth a listen or three.

You need sleep..

Powerful course on the importance of sleep and how to get more quality sleep through lifestyle changes. If you are a professional seeking to stay sharp throughout your career this would be a good place to start and learn the ins and outs to sleep importance.

Great overview

Great for the neuroscientist and the layperson. Helps me better understand the need for sleep and why making sleep a priority is so important. Also helps solidify what we have experienced with our kids. Recommended.

Extremely well done, informational and interesting

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would recommend this book to a friend. I learned so much about the mechanics and biology of sleep. Much of it I have been able to use in various ways to help me sleep better.

What does Professor Craig H. Heller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His tone indicates he loves this topic and is passionate about it. He brought difficult to understand topics within my reach.

Awesome book, extremely interesting

The author done an amazing job teaching the science of sleep . He brought very relevant examples of sleep studies to support the learning. I was very intrigued and interested through whole book. I will certainly listen to this again as material is pretty deep for some topics. The brain is amazing and sleep is critical for proper function. The sleep debit information is very eye opening. He is an expert in this field and is an engaging speaker. I learned a huge amount and was surprised over the many related subjects that are affected by sleep. One of my favorite books.

Believe the Reviews, It's a Hard Listen

AT A GLANCE:
A well-produced and seemingly-exhaustive look at sleep science in 2013.

CONTENT:
Each lecture is carefully scripted to cover a single topic, with titles like "Sleep Across the Life Span" and "The Wheels of the Circadian Clock". This is bolstered by a 186-page PDF which is useful for retaining the many ideas explored here.
It must be noted that this course is not a pop-psych or even journalistic presentation; it more closely resembles an undergraduate textbook and should be treated as such. It is a hard listen, filled with technical jargon and some sentences that will be difficult to comprehend. The listener is assumed to have a passing familiarity with neuroanatomy and experimental scientific methodology. That said, there is a vast amount of useful material here that will be worth repeat listening. This is especially true of the two final lectures, "Improving Sleep" and "Sleep in the Future and the Future of Sleep".

NARRATOR:
Prof. Heller is a gifted lecturer. His voice is strong and precise, which is needed to carry this type of source material. I would advise him to start recording audio versions of science textbooks as I believe he would excel at it. Playback speed of 1x - 1.5x is perfectly intelligible.

OVERALL:
Recommended to those with a serious interest in the subject or an existing background in anatomy.

Excellence.

Great book. Written for the professional who can grasp the concepts. Very informative and enjoyable to hear the physiology of sleep.

A must-listen for society

Engaging and informative. Everyone, and society as a whole, will benefit from these lessons and this research.

Very good read, highly recommend! Good narration p

Very good read, highly recommend! Good narration performance. Good information, easily understandable. Will listen again!

Too heavy on terms

These lectures are suitable for neuroscintists, sleep physicians, and other scientists. Too heavy on the terms to enjoy.