Why do we need sleep? How much sleep is enough? What is sleep? What happens when we don't get enough? We spend about a third of our lives asleep
- it plays a crucial role in our health & wellbeing References to sleep abound in literature & art & sleep has been recognized as fundamental to the human condition for thousands of years Over the past century our knowledge of how sleep occurs what it does & what happens to our health if we do not have enough has developed hugely The impact of poor sleep on our quality of life is also gaining recognition & the prevalence of sleep disorders in the population appears to be increasing as we live ever stressful lives This Very Short Introduction addresses the biological & psychological aspects of sleep providing a basic understanding of what sleep is & how it is measured looking at sleep through the human lifespan & the causes & consequences of major sleep disorders Russell G Foster & Steven W Lockley go on to consider the impact of modern society examining the relationship between sleep & work hours & the impact of our 247 society ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable