• Why We Sleep

  • Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
  • By: Matthew Walker
  • Narrated by: Steve West
  • Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (16,603 ratings)

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Why We Sleep  By  cover art

Why We Sleep

By: Matthew Walker
Narrated by: Steve West
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Publisher's summary

The first sleep book by a leading scientific expert - Professor Matthew Walker, director of UC Berkeley's Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab - reveals his groundbreaking exploration of sleep, explaining how we can harness its transformative power to change our lives for the better.

Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when we don't sleep. Compared to the other basic drives in life - eating, drinking, and reproducing - the purpose of sleep remained elusive.

But an explosion of scientific discoveries in the last 20 years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming. Among so many other things, within the brain, sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming mollifies painful memories and creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge to inspire creativity.

Walker answers important questions about sleep: How do caffeine and alcohol affect sleep? What really happens during REM sleep? Why do our sleep patterns change across a lifetime? How do common sleep aids affect us, and can they do long-term damage? Charting cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs and synthesizing decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood, and energy levels; regulate hormones; prevent cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes; slow the effects of aging; increase longevity; enhance the education and lifespan of our children, and boost the efficiency, success, and productivity of our businesses. Clear-eyed, fascinating, and immensely accessible, Why We Sleep is the crucial account on sleep that will forever change listeners' minds on the subject.

©2017 Matthew Walker (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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What listeners say about Why We Sleep

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Fantastic content, mechanical narrator

Walker's book is phenomenal despite a lot of what's said here being what should be called "common sense" at this point, but he drives the point home extremely well. One is forced to imagine how much better a place the world would be if we came to our senses as a species about how we sleep.

I simply didn't care for the narrator. Despite many passages where it's clear the author is being playful or joking, he never changes his machine-like reading style. Certainly non-fiction doesn't need the kind of flair and characters that fiction does, but one can do much better than this.

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Best book ever!!

One of the best self help/improving quality of life books I've ever read. Definitely recommended it.

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One of the most valuable books read in the last 10 years

A well organized presentation of current neuroscience related to the importance of sleep. A book I am passing on to the important people in my life for improved physical and psychological health. Kudos to Dr. Walker!

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Fantastic!

A must for everyone, especially if you have teens. Exceptionally well written, easily understood. I'm changing my sleep habits immediately.

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Eye opening

Absolutely loved this book and learned so much. I knew that sleep is important, I just had no idea how much really.
It all makes sense now. Highly recommend this book to everyone.

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Must read

Great scientific book on why sleep is one of the key pillars of health and wellness

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must read

For anyone wondering to listen to this book or not, the answer is yes, definitely. No matter which part of the society you represent the topics discussed in this book strongly relate to you and your life. It's very convincing and everything is covered by tons of scientific studies.

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  • 05-11-18

Life Changing Must Read

Seriously, everyone needs to read this book, especially if you have children. This will change your life for the better

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Amazing.

Unbelievably done, Matthew Walker! Great for quick changes, even better to really understand the mechanisms that help improve sleep.

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Life-changing

This is a life-changing book! Everyone should have the knowledge that is given in this book. I have started to follow the advice in the book, for myself, my loved ones and my professional life.

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