Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker REVIEW

Click to find this book on Goodreads

Started: 16/09/19

Finished: 27/09/19

Spoilers: No

4.5*

This book is utterly fascinating if not completely terrifying. One thing it certainly is, however, is informative. I've never learnt so much useful information from a single book in my life.

We all know sleep is important, but until you read a book written by a sleep scientist, you'll never know just how important it is to mental and physical health, nor how detrimental it is to both to deprive yourself of sleep.

My mouth was open through most of this book, unbelieving how such maddeningly vital health information was previously unknown to me, and I feel desperate and a little distressed that so many millions of people will never read this book and learn how important sleep is.

This book covers subjects such as why we sleep (obviously), why we dream, cause and affects of insomnia, jet lag, somnambulism, sleep deprivation, as well as how not getting enough sleep can cause depression, anxiety, paranoia, obesity, dementia and even cancer - to name only a few of the symptoms. I know this may sound like scaremongering, but it's not. It's science, and it's very very real.

I loved this book. The only thing I didn't like was the talk of sleep experiments on animals. Many experiments were also conducting on humans too, these studies probably being referenced to more throughout the book, but as someone who finds any form of animal abuse highly triggering, I did find these brief few sections uncomfortable to read, so bare that in mind before going in. But please don't let that deter you from reading this book. This is probably the most important book you'll ever read.

Sleep, beside breathing and eating, is the single most important function our bodies perform, and its purpose has stumped scientists for hundreds of years. This amazingly written and easy to comprehend book sheds a little light on the natural phenomena of sleep.

And I implore you, if you value your sleep, your health, simply want to better educate yourself about sleep, or have a sleep disorder and wish to learn more about the how and why, then please, please read this book. It'll change the way you perceive sleep forever, and may just change your life, mental and physical health for the better.