This is the book that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the strange and marvellous world of sleep in the human and animal world. Why do we need to sleep? Why do we remember some dreams and forget others? How do animals sleep? Do cats and fish dream? How can sleep disorders-including the major problem of insomnia-be dealt with and treated? What can be done about sleep apnoea? How can sleepwalking be treated? Is extreme sleepiness during the day a sign of narcolepsy? How are sleeping patterns affected by jet lag or by certain working schedules? Why do old people have trouble sleeping? Why do children refuse to go to sleep?
Peretz Lavie is a psychologist and the dean of the medical school of the prestigious Technion in Haifa, Israel, where he also directs a laboratory for the exploration of normal and pathological human sleep.