If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re far from alone. According to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, one in four Americans develops acute insomnia each year. Lack of sleep or restless sleep affects nearly every aspect of our lives, and this frustrating dilemma can often seem like an insurmountable problem.
There are thousands of books about sleep you could read to help you to demystify what happens during sleep, explain why we dream, and offer tips and strategies for improving your, and your family’s, sleep. But with so many books about sleep and sleep training out there, it’s difficult to know where to begin.
In this article, we’re sharing the best all-around books about sleep, the best books about insomnia, and the best books on children’s sleep. So no matter where you are right now in your current relationship (or lack thereof) with sleep, there’s a book for you on this list that can help you get a better night’s rest.
Bonus: Studies have shown reading in bed can improve your sleep, so reading a book about sleep while in bed could be even more effective as a nighttime activity in helping you get better sleep!
The best books on sleep
Sleep is one of the few activities that every single person on the planet does, but most of us know very little about what sleep does for us, why we sleep, and how sleep impacts our body, among many other questions.
This section lists the best books that examine all aspects of sleeping to give you a better understanding of sleeping and dreaming.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
The title of this New York Times bestseller, written by a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, asks the obvious question: Why do we sleep?
Yes, we all know the obvious—we sleep because we’re tired—but Matthew Walker, PhD, argues that to improve our sleep we need to have a more fundamental and scientific understanding of why we sleep and all the benefits we derive from it.
Walker also highlights the medical importance of sleep that’s less often discussed, such as the studies that indicate how improving your sleep can help prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes, as well as potentially increase your lifespan.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams is ideal for someone who’d like a better understanding of the essentials behind slumber.
$10.29, amazon.com
