Skip navigation
The Sleep Solution
Book

The Sleep Solution

Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It

Berkley, 2017 more...

Buy book or audiobook


Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Scientific
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Sleep specialist Chris Winter brings his unconventional approach and a lot of personality to his detailed manual for understanding and addressing sleep problems. This book speaks to those who aren’t satisfied with the quality or quantity of their sleep, for their partners, for those who are ready to improve their overall health and energy, and for parents who are eager to teach healthy sleep habits to their children.

Summary

“Sleep is a skill” that you can improve on or even perfect.

“Sleep is a skill” that you can improve or even perfect. As with nutrition and exercise, it is one of your body’s “foundational processes.” Learning to sleep well is a process that takes time. Sleep isn’t just “the absence of wakefulness.” During sleep, your body does amazing restorative things that support your health. The consequences of “inadequate sleep” are clear and serious.

Sleep is “a neurological state,” that the brain controls. The glymphatic system ensures the brain gets rid of waste during sleep. Long-term disruptions to glymphatic processes can contribute to neurological issues, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep disrupts the brain and affects your weight, obesity, diabetes risk, blood pressure, heart, anxiety, depression, mood and immune system.

Some sleep disorders make you feel that you get too little sleep; others make you feel that you’re too sleepy.

Someone who is sleepy has a high “sleep tendency” and a likelihood of going to sleep. “True sleepiness” comes from sleep deprivation, sleep dysfunction or medication...

About the Author

Consultant, speaker and board-certified “sleep-medicine specialist” and neurologist. W. Chris Winter, MD, advises professional athletic organizations, the US military and large businesses. He is also the author of The Rested Child and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast.