Sleep is the resting state when your body heals itself. It's full of growth hormone, which helps grow your cells and keep up your immune system. So when you're not getting enough sleep, it can be hard to get back on track.

Let's face it, sleep is a commitment. Overcoming insomnia takes time, effort and energy. In these ten books you'll find tips, tools and stories that will help you get the rest you need.

1. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker (2018) In this "compelling and utterly convincing" book, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being.

2. The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It by W. Chris Winter (2018) Berkley Books - From the host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast--with cutting-edge sleep science and time-tested techniques, The Sleep Solution will help anyone achieve healthy sleep and eliminate pills, pain, and fatigue.

3. The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep by Guy Leschziner (2020) - For Dr. Guy Leschziner's patients, there is no rest for the weary in mind and body. Insomnia, narcolepsy, night terrors, apnea, and sleepwalking are just a sampling of conditions afflicting sufferers who cannot sleep--and their experiences in trying are the stuff of nightmares.

4. When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep by Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold (2021) WW Norton - Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meaning or are they merely the reflection of random brain activity? What purpose do dreams serve? Written by two world-renowned sleep and dream researchers, it debunks common myths that we only dream in REM sleep, for example--while acknowledging the mysteries that persist around both the science and experience of dreaming.

5. The Sleep Prescription: Seven Days to Unlocking Your Best Rest by Aric A. Prather (2022) Penguin Life - In The Sleep Prescription, Dr. Prather shares the powerful solutions that he uses to help his patients at the clinic achieve healing and restorative sleep. Going beyond the obvious solutions, Dr. Prather shares surprisingly simple yet deeply effective techniques that will help you lie back and let sleep work its magic.

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6. The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive by Lisa L. Lewis (2022) Mango - Author Lisa L. Lewis, who helped spark the first law in the nation requiring healthy school start times for adolescents, has written a reader-friendly book for parents who want to help their fatigued teens and tweens sleep well. Learn the science of why teenage sleep matters and how sleep changes during the teen years.

7. The Insomnia Diaries: How I Learned to Sleep Again by Miranda Levy (2022) Aster - After a single, catastrophic event, journalist Miranda Levy had one sleepless night, then another, and then another. She sought help from anyone she could: doctors, a therapist, an acupuncturist, a hypnotist, a reiki practitioner and a personal trainer - but nothing seemed to work.

8. Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications by Jade Wu (2/14/23) St. Martin’s Essentials - Dr. Jade Wu, an internationally recognized behavioral sleep medicine specialist, walks you through the science of how the brain sleeps (or doesn't); shares stories from the clinic of real people's journeys to better sleep; and lays out a step-by-step program for overcoming insomnia and letting go of sleeping pills.

9. Insomnia Doc's Guide to Restful Sleep: Remedies for Insomnia and Tips for Good Sleep Health by Kristen Casey (3/14/23) Mango - Dr. Kristen Casey, TikTok's "Insomnia Doc," brings her sleep solutions right to you, so you can get the restful sleep you deserve! We all have sleep issues and you're not alone.

10. The Story of Sleep: From A to Zzzz by Daniel A. Barone and Lawrence A. Armour (3/14/23) Rowman & Littlefield A lively dictionary of topics related to slumber designed to help people help themselves by improving their sleep and, therefore, their health and happiness. The Story of Sleep is a lively annotated dictionary of topics related to slumber, designed to help people help themselves get a better night's rest and improve their overall physical and mental health.

Sleep Medicine Books on Bookshop.org

Did you find any good books to add to your TBR? This is just a small sampling of the nonfiction titles I’ve curated on this topic. Make sure to check out the complete list HERE.

Links

• The 15 best sleep podcasts for a peaceful slumber | TimeOut

• Jade Wu, PhD, DBSM, is a Board-certified behavioral sleep medicine psychologist and researcher at Duke University School of Medicine. Her mission is to spread the gift of sleep. | JadeWu.com

• Tips for Better Sleep |CDC

• 17 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night | Healthline

• How to Take the Perfect Nap (The 30-90 Rule) | Sleep Dynamics

What are some tips that you have for going to sleep and staying asleep?

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