The Science of Sleep

THE SIMPLE TRUTH ABOUT SLEEP 12

What is sleep, and why do we need it? ................................................................................... 14

The history of the science of sleep ............................................................................................ 16

The quantity of sleep we need ..................................................................................................18

THE MECHANICS OF GOOD SLEEP 20

The body’s circadian rhythm ......................................................................................................22

The sleep/wake cycle ....................................................................................................................24

Hormones and sleep ....................................................................................................................26

The stages of sleep .......................................................................................................................28

Dreaming ........................................................................................................................................30

Good sleep, bad sleep .................................................................................................................32

Forming good sleep habits .........................................................................................................34

Keeping a sleep journal ...............................................................................................................36

KNOW YOUR OWN SLEEP 38

LIFE STAGES 40

Should I sleep train my baby? ....................................................................................................42

How can I soothe an overtired baby to sleep? ..................................................................... 44

How do I help a toddler sleep through the night? ................................................................45

Can lack of sleep affect growth? ..............................................................................................46

Will my child grow out of night terrors? ..................................................................................47

Does the school day fit in with my teenager’s sleep needs? ............................................. 48

How much does screen time affect my teenager’s sleep? ..................................................50

Why does my teen randomly seem to doze off in the daytime? ......................................52

How can I help my teen sleep better at test time? ...............................................................53

Does sleep affect our ability to learn? .....................................................................................54

How will being pregnant affect my sleep? ............................................................................56

I’m a new parent. Will lack of sleep wreck my health? .........................................................58

Menopause is causing havoc with my sleep: what can I do? ........................................... 60

Why is it the older I get, the worse I sleep? .............................................................................62

MIND AND BODY 64

Why do we yawn? ......................................................................................................................... 66

Why do we close our eyes to sleep? ..........................................................................................67

Why do I grind my teeth when I sleep? ................................................................................... 68

Why does my body stay asleep and immobile after my mind has woken up? ............70

What causes the feeling of falling when I’m going to sleep? ............................................72

Why do I snore? ..............................................................................................................................74

Why does my partner seem to gasp for air in his sleep? .....................................................75

Why does my temperature fluctuate when I sleep? .............................................................76

Why am I more nocturnal than others I know? ......................................................................78

Can yoga help with sleep? ........................................................................................................80

When should I exercise for optimum sleep? ...........................................................................82

Can a lack of sleep affect my immune system? ................................................................... 84

Is my thyroid to blame for my poor sleep? ..............................................................................85

Will lack of sleep affect my weight? ....................................................................................... 86

Will an orgasm help me sleep better? .................................................................................... 88

Why is my sleep so affected by my monthly cycle? ............................................................. 90

Will a lack of sleep affect my libido and fertility? ................................................................ 91

How can I manage my chronic pain to sleep better? ..........................................................92

Why do I move around so much while I’m asleep? ...............................................................94

Why are my legs painful and restless at night? ....................................................................95

What’s the best position for me to sleep in? ..........................................................................96

Is beauty sleep real? .................................................................................................................... 98

Can sleeping pills cure my sleep problem? ........................................................................ 100

Can melatonin supplements help me sleep? ...................................................................... 101