Sleep Thieves

by Stanley Coren

Book Overview

An eye-opening and engrossing exploration into the science and mysteries of sleep and sleeplessness from the bestselling author of The Intelligence of Dogs.

Is there some way to determine if you are getting enough sleep?

Do dogs and cats dream?

What are the ways to help children sleep through the night?

What role did sleep deficit play in the loss of the space shuttle Challenger and the nuclear accidents at Chernobyl...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684831848
• ISBN13: 9780684831848
• Release Date: April 1997
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A much-underestimated topic

Sleep is one of the most common activities in our lives. As such, one would expect that everybody would know a lot about it.This book shows that this is not the case. Our western work-ethos has led us to believe that sleeping is for weaklings and that sleeping very little is a sign of discipline and diligence . This book is full of examples of the results of that attitude. As a renowned researcher into the science of sleep, the Author is able to list a considerable number of instances where a lack of sleep did not only lead to less productivity, but led to downright disasters such as the sinking of the "Exxon Valdez" or the Chernobyl nuclear accident.I found that the book gives a real insight into the importance of obtaining enough sleep. In my case, I found it convincing enough to change some of my habits and go to bed earlier, if need be. As the author shows, a like change throughout society might safe us billions of dollars per year.

Excellent

I ordered this book just because Dr. Coren is my favorite author (How To Speak Dog, The Intelligence Of The Dogs, Why We Love The Dogs We Do). I was certain that I would find this book very interesting, and I wasn't wrong. This book is truly wonderful. He explains how many hours should we sleep and what happens to us if we don't. How our mental and physical health depends on sleep, and gives advices as to how to improve the quality of our sleep. There is a test you can perform in order to understand how many hours of sleep you need. It's just great. I wish all doctors read this masterpiece and instead of giving Valium or whatever to people with sleeping disorders, were giving them advices taken from this book. Once more, thank you Mr.Coren

One of the best books ever written on the subject of sleep..

I have read numerous books and articles on sleep research and I have yet to come across any book that even compares with this one. It is highly entertaining reading and enormously informative for those of us who are sleep-deprived, and even for those who are not. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject of sleep disorders, dreams, and the history of sleep. Filled with fascinating facts, statistics, and real-life stories about the need for a good-night's rest, this is one of the best books on the market, in my estimation. Sleep Thieves is worth every penny and can only serve to enlighten and encourage readers everywhere. Excellent reading!

Ever wondered how much sleep is enough?

What an outstanding book filled with facts about sleep, why we need it, how much we need it and what happens if we don't get enough of it. I'd recommend this book to every doctor in the country to help them understand what they go through and what that can mean to patients.

Engrossing and informative!

This is that rare book which is, incredibly, both a page-turner and full of top-rate science and information. I learned an immense amount from it and was entertained in the process. Among the great, keep-it-on-your-shelf for reference topics are: foods and their effect on sleep, how to minimize jet-lag, and how much sleep different species of animals get (look up cats!). It's also a great resource for winning arguments with self-righteous, sleep-deprived workaholics. I liked this book so much that I used it as reference material for an extra lecture in the college psychology class I teach.