William Dement and Christophter Vaughan's
The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep is very readable and informative. Dr. Dement, one of the foremost
sleep researchers in the world, is on a crusade to urge people to improve their sleep habits and seek treatment for any serious sleep disorders they might have.
He illustrates the enormous cost of
sleepiness upon society.
Sleepiness kills people in
car crashes, medical mistakes,
industrial accidents, and other circumstances. Many people suffer from sleep
apnea, in which the person's air channel is blocked during sleep, halting their breathing, waking them up briefly, and causing massive medical damage over time. Less extreme, but still significant, are the many people who, due to the tiredness arising from insufficient sleep, function poorly and enjoy life less.
Sleep is as important to your general
health as
diet and
exercise, but most of the public, including many
physicians, are still ignorant about it. Many sleep problems are readily treatable, which can lead to a major improvement in people's lives. This is a fascinating book that I strongly recommend.