The Science of Sleep

John Medina

Aug 2017 · Pear Press · Narrated by John Medina

About this audiobook

The Science of Sleep, by developmental molecular biologist Dr. John Medina, gives you the facts—and the prescription to sleep well—in his signature engaging style. Adapted from Medina's Brain Rules for Aging Well:10 Principles for Staying Vital, Happy, and Sharp, in this chapter you'll learn how the sleep cycle is born of a constant tension between hormones and brain regions vying to keep you awake, and hormones and brain regions trying to make you go to sleep. This is called opponent-process theory. Sleep, scientists are finding, doesn’t have as much to do with energy restoration as it does with processing memories and flushing out toxins in the brain. As you grow older, your sleep cycle becomes more fragmented, particularly the part of the cycle during which toxins are flushed out of the brain. Accruing good sleep habits by middle age (a stable sleep routine; no caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine six hours prior to going to sleep) is the best way to avoid sleep-related cognitive decline in old age.

You may already be experiencing the sometimes-unpleasant effects of the aging process. Or you may be deeply concerned about your loved ones who are. Either way, The Science of Sleep is for you.

About the author

DR. JOHN J. MEDINA, a developmental molecular biologist, has a lifelong fascination with how the mind reacts to and organizes information. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School" -- a provocative book that takes on the way our schools and work environments are designed. His latest book is a must-read for parents and early-childhood educators: "Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five."Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two boys.