A science writer recounts his life dealing with chronic narcolepsy and explores the world of sleeping disorders and its victims--including insomniacs, fellow narcoleptics and sleep-apnea sufferers--and uncovers the secrets of a good night´s rest.
A narcoleptic´s tireless journey through the neuroscience of disordered sleep
Whether it´s a bout of bad jet lag or a stress-induced all-nighter, we´ve all suffered from nights that left us feeling less than well-rested. But for some people, getting a bad night´s sleep isn´t just an inconvenience: it´s a nightmare. In Sleepyhead, science writer Henry Nicholls uses his own experience with chronic narcolepsy as a gateway to better understanding the cryptic, curious, and relatively uncharted world of sleep disorders. We meet insomniacs who can´t get any sleep, narcoleptics who can´t control when they sleep, and sleep apnea victims who nearly suffocate in their sleep. We learn the underlying difference between morning larks and night owls; why our sleeping habits shift as we grow older; and the evolutionary significance of REM sleep and dreaming. Charming, eye-opening, and deeply humanizing, Sleepyhead will help us all uncover the secrets of a good night´s sleep.