This is a textbook for a college level science class on sleep and sleep disorders.

Current research on how sleep affects our daily lives -- both physical and mental functions of our well being. Focuses on the physiology of non-REM and REM sleep, dreams and dreaming, as well as the pathophysiology of highly prevalent sleep disorders. The content also includes lucid dreaming, sleep need, sleep debt, daytime alertness, and performance; biological clock and circadian rhythms; sleep disorders, insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, sleepwalking, jet lag, sleeping pills, sleep and mental illness, sleep and memory, and the impact of sleep deprivation and sleep disorders on academic and social life.

"This book had its genesis in the need created by my involvement with undergraduate teaching starting in the Fall of 1970 when I was a resident fellow and taught a course on sleep for the students in my dormitory. The course began to attract other students and because of this I decided to offer a formal presentation in Winter Quarter 1971 and I have offered a course on sleep annually up until Winter Quarter 2003. Sleep and Dreams was not offered in 2004 or 2005 but due to high student demand, we resurrected the course for the Winter Quarter 2006. Around 1980, the various handouts developed into a quasi-textbook and by the middle of the 90s, the first Stanford Sleep Book was born. The current volume is the 5th edition"--Acknowledgements.

"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.

Healthy sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important determinant in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity, but our modern culture has become a virtual study in sleep deprivation. A world without darkness wreaks havoc on our body clocks. Sleep is sacrificed to meet the demands of our endless days. Doctors regard sleep deprivation as a fact of life and do little to promote sleep health or awareness. Meanwhile, the physical, emotional, and psychological costs of unhealthy sleep continue to mount.In "The Promise of Sleep", world-renowned sleep authority William C. Dement offers a definitive guide providing the information necessary to reap the benefits of a good night's sleep. Drawing on decades of experience, Dr. Dement explains what happens when we sleep, taking us on a fascinating tour of the sleeping body and mind. Exploring sleep's surpassingly powerful effect on overall health, from the immune system to psychological well-being, readers will learn the many ways that sleep loss and deprivation can put them in harm's way, inhibiting motivation, creativity, and vitality.Imparting wisdom gained through years of sleep lab experience, Dr. Dement reveals the seven principles of healthy sleep, and gives hands-on advice on such popular topics as sleep disorders and their cures, the role of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids, recovery from jet lag, the power of naps, and more. With "The Promise

Presents research findings on the nature, function, and dynamics of sleep, on dreams and their contents, and on sleep disorders and their consequences and treatment

Dream of Perfect Sleep is the story of an ageing couple, Mary and Gene, and their adult children - recovering-addict Robert and new-ager Melissa. Mary suffers from severe vertigo and just wants to watch her TV show. Gene is busy organizing a very special holiday dinner, but party planning isn’t exactly his strong suit. When the estranged kids come home for the holidays, Gene reveals some unexpected news that threatens to destroy the family’s already strained bonds... A funny, heartwarming and powerful story of hope and loss in the face of dementia and terminal illness as an elderly couple plan their last days on earth. Winner of both the Kernodle New Play and Southwestern Playwriting Awards.

Clinical practice related to sleep problems and sleep disorders has been expanding rapidly in the last few years, but scientific research is not keeping pace. Sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome are three examples of very common disorders for which we have little biological information. This new book cuts across a variety of medical disciplines such as neurology, pulmonology, pediatrics, internal medicine, psychiatry, psychology, otolaryngology, and nursing, as well as other medical practices with an interest in the management of sleep pathology. This area of research is not limited to very young and old patientsâ€"sleep disorders reach across all ages and ethnicities. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation presents a structured analysis that explores the following: Improving awareness among the general public and health care professionals. Increasing investment in interdisciplinary somnology and sleep medicine research training and mentoring activities. Validating and developing new and existing technologies for diagnosis and treatment. This book will be of interest to those looking to learn more about the enormous public health burden of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation and the strikingly limited capacity of the health care enterprise to identify and treat the majority of individuals suffering from sleep problems.

"Roughly one third of our lifetime is - or should be - spent asleep; yet despite the expansive scientific knowledge gained in many fields (i.e., psychology, neurophysiology) about our wake state, only relatively recently have we begun to catch up with the study of sleep. As Tom Roth, former editor of the journal Sleep, put it, "It's analogous to going to Mars with a third of the Earth's surface still unexplored" [1].Sleep is a strange experience, playing tricks on our consciousness. Sometimes within only a couple minutes of dozing off, we can go through a plethora of vivid and complex experiences. Alternatively, we may lapse into what feels like a total absence of consciousness, a jump in time, waking after a long slumber with no memory of the last eight hours. Sleep does not bend time, but without a doubt, it alters our consciousness. It is, therefore, no surprise that most people enjoy sleeping - when we sleep, we no longer feel the toothache, headache or the heartache that we suffer when awake"--