Night School

Wake Up to the Power of Sleep

By: Richard Wiseman

Narrated by: Peter Noble

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Almost a third of your whole life is spent asleep. Night School uncovers the scientific truth about the sleeping brain - and gives powerful tips on how those hours of apparently ‘dead’ time in the dark can transform your waking life.

Based on exciting new peer-reviewed research, mass-participation experiments, and the world's largest archive of dream reports, Night School will teach you how to:

• Learn information and solve problems while you sleep
• Find out why nightmares can be good for you, and what your dreams really mean
• Unlock the creative power of the six-minute nap
• Banish jet-lag, night terrors, and snoring
• Discover the secrets of the ‘super sleepers’ - and get the best night's sleep of your life

Studies show that even a small lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on our health, lifespan, and happiness. Professor Richard Wiseman’s authoritative, entertaining new book introduces the powerful new science of sleep - and gives us back the missing third of our days. Welcome to Night School.

Richard Wiseman is based at the University of Hertfordshire and holds Britain's only professorship for the Public Understanding of Psychology

©2014 Audible Ltd (P)2014 Audible Ltd

One half of a very good book

Would you listen to Night School again? Why?

I'm going to be listening to the back half of this book over and over again. The ongoing research and instructions for lucid dreaming will take time to learn but puts into words something that I have done myself since my teen years.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The idea that your dream life can be a video game of your waking life allowing you to create new paths to go on, to practice and rehearse, and to explore so that you have the opportunity to experience in your waking time a far richer and more confident "time when it counts".

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

How to succeed in Dreamland without really trying

Any additional comments?

The beginning of the book covers the history of sleep research, which I think everyone knows. I enjoyed his retelling of Thomas Edison's flexibility with the truth as far as how much he in fact slept. Taking another look at The Wizard of Menlo Park's life as opposed to his legends is pretty common lately but both Peter Noble and author Richard Wiseman gave an especially funny "behind the curtain" look at a not so well known figure in history.

I now try to sleep longer because of this book

I don't have a problem falling asleep, but I always thought I don't sleep long enough. This book gave me enough information about the danger of not getting sufficient sleep. For example, brains apparently clean up toxins while we sleep. Imagine what happens if we don't sleep enough. This is just one example. Brains do all kinds of other processing tasks that don't happen while we are awake. So, I now trust my brain and let it do what it needs to do, just by sleeping. The book also explains why taking a nap can be so beneficial. The book is full of useful information, and the author has a great sense of humor. The narrator is also excellent. Highly recommended.

Excellent book, wonderful narration....

Exceptionally well narrated and masterly written. Certainly worth a purchase. Peter Noble is awesome...Some extraordinary insights shared in the book on sleep science. A must for all psychology lovers and for all who wanted to know more about sleep. But, the manifesto... described in last chapter , Whew... that looks like a dream... All in all, one of the best top-5 books for me..

Entertaining, insightful, and inspiring

It gives real evidence-based research into the science of sleep, and offers practical ways to both improve the quality of sleep and use sleep to improve your productivity, creativity, and happiness. Highly recommended!

Great information, awesome narrator!

Absolutely wonderful material! The author presents a great deal of information on the topic of sleep science, and does so in a very easy-to-understand way, as well always keeping it interesting and fun to follow.

The narrator is incredible! He could very easily read the phone book to me, and I would be enthralled.

eje opener!

excelent. really is something that needed to be studied. the world is full of zombies
..

Informative with a quirky sense of humour

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

Yes, contains a lot of informative facts about sleep and it's effects on our general health and well being.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Night School?

The quizes

What about Peter Noble’s performance did you like?

Calm, cool manner

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It's not that kind of book. Perhaps Audible could research the questions posed so that they are appropriate to, for instance, an educational book ?

Any additional comments?

Thoroughly enjoyable learning book.

Enlightening

We all know that getting enough sleep is essential to good health, and this book confirms that. The content is very practical and not just theory, with instruction on how to maximize your sleep for the greatest personal benefit. It is not a one fits all approach, but is tailored to all different types of sleep patterns. An excellent and motivating read.

One of the best audiobooks I have heard

First this audiobook scares you (but in such a gentle way) that lack of sleep is either going to cause you die early, or else make someone else die due to your inattentiveness e.g. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl both arose to some extent through lack of sleep! Having got you motivated he goes on to educate and inform you with a host of techniques and stories involving the latest scientific research as well as historical anecdotes. One of the aspects I liked best was stories about people like Isaac Newton and Thomas Edison who maximised their productivity and creativity through regular naps during the day, and also how Claire Francis managed a single-handed round-the-world sailing trip whilst still being able to sleep enough in the process. The author does make it clear that napping is not a long-term replacement for adequate sleep for everyone, and tells us how to work out how much sleep we actually need, as well as how to achieve it.

Enlightened....

Where does Night School rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very interesting & worth the read. Had problems sleeping and this booked helped me to figure out why. Also helped with other aspects of my life.... why I was having certain dreams and reoccurring dreams.

Useful

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Its full of interesting ideas and helpful hints

What three words best describe Peter Noble’s performance?

He did the best he could with a book which is probably better read in print

Was Night School worth the listening time?

yes but I fast forwarded sometimes which is a sign that it does not hold my attention

Any additional comments?

great research, probably best published as magazine articles

Very helpful

Would you consider the audio edition of Night School to be better than the print version?

Cheesy jokes aside, this book was very helpful. I started listening to it to help me adjust to new sleeping hours for an internship and found it inspiring and calming. I purchased the print version a couple of months later, and although easier to reference than the audiobook, the audible version is a relaxing way to fall asleep.

It'll send you too sleep - in a good way.

The only negative I will note is that I found the narration a touch slow, but once I set it to x1.25 speed I found it perfect.

Sent me to sleep! Perfect!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Definitely recommend this audio version - I couldn't keep my eyes open listening to the dreary voice of the narrator! Loved the snoozing zzz

What will your next listen be?

I'm thinking of listening all over again as I missed chunks out while napping. As a rubbish sleeper I felt it was worth every penny.

How could the performance have been better?

Don't change a thing! At first I found the voice annoying until I realised the true value was in his ability to send me to sleep.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Only if they had seats that were big cosy armchairs to have a kip in.

Any additional comments?

For people like me who have sleep difficulties the audio version is a must-buy!

A new way to look at sleep

This book has answered many questions concerning sleep problems,it is extremely well written, and very well read by Peter Noble.

Struggled to finish the book

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Unless you are extensively researching sleep science, I wouldn't recommend this book. It was not an enjoyable listen. To be fair there were some interesting historical accounts of this field.

Would you be willing to try another one of Peter Noble’s performances?

Probably not

Do you think Night School needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Definitely not