Main description:

All too many of us are not getting the quality or amount of sleep we need. Perhaps we have difficulty drifting off, or we lie awake in the small hours, or have problems with a restless partner, or with bad dreams, or with our work-sleep patterns if we are shiftworkers or early risers. The big question is, what can we do about such problems? Who can we turn to, for a sympathetic and knowledgeable one-to-one consultation? The answer is, to one of the world's leading sleep experts: Professor Chris Idzikowski, who here reveals his wisdom in a down-to-earth and reassuring way. Sound Asleep gives you the in-depth understanding you need to make your sleep more restful, more energising and more satisfactory. The Introduction (10pp) answers four basic questions: What is sleep? What is dreaming? What is tiredness? What is fatigue? Chapter One (12pp) takes a fascinating look at the history of sleep, showing how social and environmental factors have affected human experience. Chapter Two (28pp) tells us what science has made of sleep, in a friendly, easy-to-follow style.
Chapter Three (60pp) gives extensive advice on how to manage your sleep, whatever your particular circumstances or needs, with specific advice for workers, parents, drivers and flyers, as well as for dreamers and problem-solvers; also covered is our changing requirements as we age. Chapter Four (60pp) gives the same number of pages to sleep problems, including insomnia, breathing disorders, circadian clock disorders, nightmares and movement disorders. Finally, Chapter Five (26pp) is a collection of concise practical tips and guidelines, including a directory of sleeping pills and potions, from pharmaceutical stand-bys to home-brewed herbal teas.