The Secret World of Sleep The Surprising Science of the Mind at Rest

by Lewis, Penelope A.

• ISBN13: 9781137279477
• ISBN10: 1137279478
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-11-11
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

In recent years, neuroscientists have uncovered the countless ways our brain trips us up in day-to-day life, from its propensity toward irrational thought to how our intuitions deceive us. The latest research on sleep, however, points in the opposite direction. Where old wives tales have long advised to "sleep on a problem," today scientists are discovering the truth behind these folk sayings, and how the busy brain radically improves our minds through sleep and dreams. In The Secret World of Sleep , neuroscientist Penny Lewis explores the latest research into the nighttime brain to understand the real benefits of sleep. She shows how, while our body rests, the brain practices tasks it learned during the day, replays traumatic events to mollify them, and forges connections between distant concepts. By understanding the roles that the nocturnal brain plays in our waking life, we can improve the relationship between the two, and even boost creativity and become smarter. This is a fascinating exploration of one of the most surprising corners of neuroscience that shows how science may be able to harness the power of sleep to improve learning, health, and more.

Author Biography

Penelope A. Lewis is a neuroscientist at the University of Manchester, where she runs the Sleep and Memory Lab. She has written for a number of popular science publications, including New Scientist and was interviewed on NPR's "Fresh Air." Her research has been featured on the BBC, and she's received funding from top institutes, including the Wellcome Trust and Unilever. She lives in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Why Sleep?
Chapter 2: How do we know sleep is important for the brain?
Chapter 3: Building blocks of the brain
Chapter 4: How the brain controls sleep
Chapter 5: Mental spring cleaning while you sleep
Chapter 6: How and why memories are ‘replayed’ in sleep
Chapter 7: What is dreaming and what does it tell us memory?
Chapter 8: Sleep, semantics, and the mind
Chapter 9: Emotional memories and sleep
Chapter 10: Does sleep disarm dangerous emotions?
Chapter 11: Good sleepers and bad sleepers
Chapter 12: Getting the most out of your sleep
Chapter 13: Brief notes on how to get the sleep you need