Main description:

Embark on an exploration of what lies behind our eyelids when we surrender to the secret life of sleep.

What makes us cross the line from waking to slumber? According to Harvard scientists it's our 'sleep switch' - a cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus. For the ancient Greeks it was the god Hypnos, caressing you with his wings. For the Blackfeet Indians, a butterfly.

From the meaning of dreams to the dangers of sleeping pills, Kat Duff brings insights from the latest in sleep science, the paintings of Salvador Dali, the musings of Michel de Montaigne, and rituals from around the world to paint a portrait of an activity that we all cherish but know little about. Why do we sleep? What happens in our brains when we sleep? Why are sleep patterns in Western industrialised countries so unhealthy? Is the boundary between sleep and wakefulness as clear cut as we might have supposed?

Tackling the full breadth of what sleep means to us, The Secret Life of Sleep blends cutting-edge research with captivating narrative to explore a hidden world that is both intimate and mysterious.