Sleep disorders have a significant impact on a child's physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development, and greatly affect the family, as well. Fortunately, today's health care providers have highly effective medical and behavioral interventions at their disposal for treatment and prevention. A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems, 3rd Edition, synthesizes current information on the assessment and treatment of sleep disorders in children and adolescents and gives you the practical tools you need to recognize, evaluate, and treat sleep issues. This state-of-the-art resource provides comprehensive, user-friendly guidance on pediatric sleep that will help you improve the lives of your patients and their families. Stay up to date with current information on the etiology, clinical assessment tools, and management of specific sleep disorders in children and adolescents. Quickly find the information you need thanks to logically organized chapters that cover sleep physiology, developmental aspects of sleep, sleep diagnostic tools, the most common pediatric sleep disorders, pharmacology (including stimulants such as caffeine), and special populations. Use handy algorithms to evaluate common presenting symptoms and develop an effective treatment plan. Educate parents and caregivers about normal sleep and offer primary and secondary prevention strategies to be used at home. Keep your practice up to date with new diagnostic criteria, revised and new practice guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and updated and new clinical screening and parent handouts for each age group. Access an extensive collection of appendices online, including professional resources, and expanded list of intake and screening questionnaires, and parent education handouts for each age group and each sleep disorder Now with the print edition, enjoy the bundled interactive eBook edition, which can be downloaded to your tablet and smartphone or accessed online and includes features like: Complete content with enhanced navigation Print patient handouts directly from the eBook Powerful search tools and smart navigation cross-links that pull results from content in the book, your notes, and even the web Cross-linked pages, references, and more for easy navigation Highlighting tool for easier reference of key content throughout the text Ability to take and share notes with friends and colleagues Quick reference tabbing to save your favorite content for future use

In the western social structures the number permanently increases sleep more disturbedly. So already suffer more than 10% of the population from sleep awake disturbances which has to be treated urgently; 800,000 patients suffer under Sleep apnea and 25,000 under Narcolepsy (PETER 1995, PETER et al. 1995). Not diagnosed and untreatedly among others they cause on the one hand frequently subjective sorrow in the persons affected and on the other hand accident danger also increased one due to the increased daytime sleepiness or doziness in the traffic and at work (PETER et al. 1995, GERDESMEYER et al. 1997, RANDERATH et al. 1997, 1998, BUETTNER et al. 2000a and b).One can therefore hold tight that sleeplessnesses and/or sleep diseases are complex syndromes summarizing these, be able to impair in his whole personality the person as a whole. You can therefore influence all physical, spiritual and mental processes. Vigilance can make you reduce the physical and mental efficiency to reduce attention and concentration. You can affect the quality of life, reduce, limit and/or prevent social contacts and competences as well as cause further psychiatric, neurological and organic illnesses. Therefore a detailed sleep diagnostics is indispensable and if necessary therapy of the till now known sleeplessnesses and/or sleep diseases in order to bend a therapy resistance forward concerning further physical and mental illnesses and to make an effective medical treatment possible to prevent subsequent illnesses.

This issue of Sleep Medicine Clinics, edited by Song Tar Toh in collaboration with Consulting Editor, Teofilo Lee-Chiong, is devoted to the Preventing, Screening, and Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, beyond Positive Airway Pressure (PAP). Topics covered in this issue include: Prevention and Screening of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); Anatomical and Physiologic Considerations in Surgical Treatment for OSA; Medical and Surgical Options for Weight Management in OSA; Positional Therapy for OSA; Oral Appliances in Adults and Pediatrics; Myofunctional Therapy for OSA; Drug-induced Sleep Endoscopy in Treatment Options Selection; Establishing a Patent Nasal Passage in OSA; Palatal Surgery: From Ablation to Reconstruction; Volumetric Tongue Reduction Surgery in Clinical Practice; Transoral Robotic Surgery for OSA; Genioglossus Advancement and Hyoid Surgery; Maxillomandibular Rotational Advancement: Airway, Aesthetics, and Angle Considerations;

Lack of sleep is not just a matter of feeling tired. Recent research has shown that it is associated with serious illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. The big question is, what can we do to get more sleep? Who can we turn to, for a sympathetic and knowledgeable one-to-one consultation? The answer is, to one of the world's leading sleep experts: Professor Chris Idzikowski, who here reveals his wisdom in a down-to-earth and reassuring way. The Introduction answers four basic questions: What is sleep? What is dreaming? What is tiredness? What is fatigue? Chapter One takes a fascinating look at the history of sleep, showing how social and environmental factors have affected human experience. Chapter Two tells us what science has made of sleep, in a friendly, easy-to-follow style. Chapter Three gives extensive advice on how to manage your sleep, whatever your particular circumstances or needs, with specific advice for workers, parents, drivers and flyers, as well as for dreamers and problem-solvers; also covered is our changing requirements as we age. Chapter Four gives the same number of pages to sleep problems, including insomnia, breathing disorders, circadian clock disorders, nightmares and movement disorders. Finally, Chapter Five is a collection of concise practical tips and guidelines, including a directory of sleeping pills and potions, from pharmaceutical stand-bys to home-brewed herbal teas.

When it comes to baby sleep, Lucy Wolfe has seen - and solved - it all. Her stay-and-support approach has helped thousands of parents achieve the holy grail of babyhood - a full night's sleep. But even with the best routine things can go awry, so in this book Lucy addresses in detail the most common problems that undermine your efforts: short naps, feeding associations at bedtime, early rising and much more. By helping parents understand their child's sleep science and common tendencies in the first three years, Lucy shows parents how to introduce and maintain a gentle approach that is 98 per cent effective in addressing sleep issues. This book provides all the support needed for both baby and parents to overcome persistent challenges and get the sleep they need. 'My cousin recommended Lucy Wolfe to me after Theodore had his worst night ever, sleeping just 90 minutes. I started Lucy's routine on a Saturday night and, even with a cold, Theodore has been sleeping through all week. I actually can't believe it! I feel like a new person. Thank you, Lucy.' Vogue Williams

Sleep Recovery gives you the knowledge, tools and resources to repair your own natural ability to rest - starting tonight. If you're suffering from insomnia or interrupted sleep, or waking up feeling un-refreshed, you're not alone. This compassionate and practical guide to recovering your sleep helps you to repair the physical, mental, emotional and energetic habits that may be sabotaging your sleep. You'll find your personal sleep type, put in place healthier habits and re-learn how to rest deeply and easily. You'll find your best pathway to sleep recovery, with results you can see immediately, and that build over time. Includes: simple yoga stretches and powerful breath practices to settle you for a good night's sleep, and super-charge your energy in the morning; restorative yoga postures and mindfulness to give you energy all day; and all the information you need to troubleshoot your lifestyle to support better sleep. The book is illustrated throughout with inspiring line drawings and instructive diagrams. Using the practical wisdom in this book, you'll learn to wake up happier and healthier, at every age and stage in your life.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects related to pediatric sleep and its associated disorders. It addresses the ontogeny and maturational aspects of physiological sleep and circadian rhythms, as well as the effects of sleep on the various organ systems as a function of development. Organized into nine sections, the book begins with a basic introduction to sleep, and proceeds into an extensive coverage of normative sleep and functional homeostasis. Part three then concisely examines the humoral and developmental aspects of sleep, namely the emerging role of metabolic tissue and the intestinal microbiota in regulation. Parts four, five, and six discuss diagnoses methods, techniques in sleep measurement, and specific aspects of pharmacotherapy and ventilator support for the pediatric patient. Various sleep disorders are explored in part seven, followed by an in-depth analysis of obstructive sleep apnea in part eight. The book concludes with discussions on the presence of sleep issues in other disorders such as Down syndrome, obesity, cystic fibrosis, and asthma. Written by recognized leaders in the field, Pediatric Sleep Medicine facilitates an extensive learning experience for practicing physicians who encounter specific sleep-related issues in their practice.

Research on cannabis and sleep is emerging with promising results. This book offers current and comprehensive knowledge on cannabinoid research results in connection with sleep. The volume covers aspects of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, the pharmacology of cannabinoids, neurobiology and pharmacology of sleep and wakefulness, and the benefits and side effects of cannabis on the central nervous system. It further discusses the putative therapeutical properties of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids and their potential for the treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, REM sleep behavior disorder, and restless legs syndrome. The book is written by medical and scientific experts in this field and intended for researchers from a range of disciplines such as biomedicine, biology, neurosciences, clinical medicine, neurology, and pharmacology.

According to research, more than 50% of patients seen in psychiatric clinics have sleep problems. Despite this fact, there is a lack of sleep medicine training in psychiatric residency programs especially for disorders like insomnia and sleep-related problems in women and children. Also, there is a lack of education on treating sleep problems in special situations like ICU settings or managing sleep problems via telemedicine. Sleep physicians, on the other hand, are uncomfortable treating patients with the psychiatric disorders, particularly in this demographic. Pediatricians are also not trained to work with children suffering from sleep disturbances or psychiatric disorders. They often struggle to correctly identify a particular disorder and lack confidence to adequately treat and manage these issues. In total, there are only about 250 clinicians trained in both sleep medicine and psychiatry, despite the millions of patients who could benefit from both disciplines. While Springer does have a forthcoming text on sleep and psychiatric disturbances that addresses comorbid sleep disorders in the general population, there is still no resource that examines the intricacies of insomnia in women and children. This text highlights the importance of common medical comorbidities and illuminates the salient points for treatment, diagnosis, and management of these conditions as they relate particularly to these special populations. Written by experts in both sleep medicine and psychiatry, the text takes a cutting-edge, reader-friendly approach to topics that include sleep disturbances in pregnancy, sleep tele-medicine, sleep disturbances related to difficulties in schools, and substance-induced disturbances. Each chapter follows a consistent format, making it an excellent tool for the busy clinician who is not able to sift through scientific literature or didactic texts. Psychiatric Sleep Disorders in Women and Children is an excellent resource for all clinicians who may work with special populations struggling with sleep and psychiatric comorbidities, including psychiatrists, sleep medicine physicians, internists, primary care and family medicine physicians, pediatricians, obstetrics/gynecologists, psychologists and others.

Sleep is one of the key underpinnings of human health yet sleep deprivation and impaired sleep are rampant in modern life. Sleep and wake are a true yin yang phenomenon, each affecting the other and together forming a harmonious whole. Healthy sleep is a whole-body process impacted by circadian rhythm, daily activities, and emotional well-being, among others. When properly aligned, these work in concert to produce restorative and refreshing sleep. When not in balance, however, sleep disorders result. Yet too often, the conventional medical approach to treatment of sleep disorders is compartmentalized, failing to recognize all of the complex interactions that are involved. The first book in its field, Integrative Sleep Medicine offers a true comprehensive approach to sleep and sleep disorders by delineating the many factors that interplay into healthy sleep. Health care practitioners can learn how to better manage their patients with sleep disorders by integrating complementary and conventional approaches. Using an evidence-based approach throughout, this book describes the basics of normal sleep, then delves into the foundations of integrative sleep medicine, including the circadian rhythm, mind-body sleep connection, light, dreaming, the gastrointestinal system, and botanicals and supplements. Specific sleep issues and disorders are then addressed from an integrative perspective, including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep related movement disorders, and parasomnias.

Freddie wakes up grumpy after a bad night's sleep. Late for school, his day just seems to go from bad to worse. When Nana tries to help him at dinner time, Freddie snaps at her. She explains that being tired makes everything feel worse, but she knows just the trick to help him get to sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day! In his fourth picture book, which contains mindfulness tools proven to help children manage difficult feelings, musician and mindfulness expert Niall Breslin (Bressie) shares another valuable lesson for children (and parents!) - all brought to life by Sheena Dempsey's gorgeous illustrations. It will bring calm to bedtime by teaching children a body scan meditation technique for an easy countdown to sleep. The book also contains information for parents on the benefits of proper sleep for children and how best to achieve it. Niall Breslin's Mindful Moments for Children are available as mini podcasts, and include a body scan episode to share with your child. Praise for the Mindful Moments series: 'A book with an important message' Irish Independent 'The sort of book that could be genuinely helpful to an anxious child' The Irish Times 'Bressie presents a difficult subject - mental well-being - in a cheerful, child centred way' RTE Guide

Freddie wakes up grumpy after a bad night's sleep. Late for school, his day just seems to go from bad to worse. When Nana tries to help him at dinner time, he snaps at her. She explains that being tired makes everything feel worse, but she knows just the trick to help him get to sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day! In his fourth picture book, containing mindfulness tools proven to help children manage difficult feelings, musician and mindfulness expert Bressie shares another valuable lesson for children (and parents!) - all brought to life by Sheena Dempsey's gorgeous illustrations.

*THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER* What is a dream? Why do we dream? How do our bodies and minds use dreams? These questions are the starting point for this unprecedented, astonishing study of the role and significance of dreams, from the beginning of human history. An investigation on the grand scale, encompassing literature, anthropology, religion, and science, it articulates the essential place dreams occupy in human culture, and how they functioned as the catalyst that compelled us to transform our earthly habitat into a human world. From the earliest cave paintings - where the author finds a key to humankind's first dreams, which contributed to our capacity to perceive past and future - to cutting-edge scientific research, Ribeiro arrives at startling and revolutionary conclusions about the role of dreams in human existence and evolution. He explores the advances that contemporary neuroscience, biochemistry and psychology have made into the connections between sleep, dreams, and learning, before revealing what dreams have taught us about the neural basis of memory and the transformation of memory in recall. And he makes clear that the earliest insight into dreams as oracular has been confirmed by contemporary research. Accessible, authoritative, and fascinating from first to last, The Oracle of Night gives us a wholly new way to understand this most basic of human experiences.

From Emmy Award-winning ABC News anchor/correspondent and former insomniac Diane Macedo comes a practical, user-friendly guide to getting better sleep. The Sleep Fix flips the switch on common advice, illuminating the reporter's relentless search for how to get a good night's sleep. Roughly 30 per cent of the population is estimated to be living with insomnia, while many more unknowingly suffer from other sleep disorders. In The Sleep Fix, Macedo aims to change that with perspective-shifting research and easy-to-implement solutions based not just on science and experts but also on her own years-long struggle. As an early-morning reporter and overnight news anchor, Macedo learned the hard way how valuable sleep is. The longer she struggled, the more her health deteriorated. Desperate, she tried standard sleep tip after standard sleep tip, but nothing worked - instead, it made her worse. Finally, after developing a tolerance to sleeping pills, Macedo decided to attack the problem as a journalist, interviewing sleep experts from all over the world to get to the bottom of what really keeps us from sleeping - and the various ways to fix those problems. As Macedo explains, the solution to catching zzz's often isn't about giving up caffeine or swearing off screens before bed. With down-to-earth explanations and humour, she instead teaches us how to: *Understand sleep biology *Identify sleep obstacles *Flag sleep myths and separate fact from fiction *Try counterintuitive approaches *Shift our mindset Most importantly, Macedo - a busy working mum - teaches us how to adjust and fit these solutions into our everyday lives. Offering expert wisdom, cutting-edge research, intimate sleep stories from public figures and actionable advice, The Sleep Fix is the tell-it-like-it-is guide that this sleep-deprived world has been waiting for.

Poor sleep can have a huge impact on our health and wellbeing, leaving us feeling run-down, exhausted and stressed out. This self-help guide explains the causes of insomnia and why it is so difficult to break bad habits. This updated edition gives you clinically proven cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques for improving the quality of your sleep: * Keeping a sleep diary * Setting personal goals * Improving your sleep hygiene * Dealing with a racing mind * Making lasting improvements to your sleeping and waking pattern

Changing when you eat, sleep and exercise can help you to treat, manage - and even reverse - type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Circadian rhythms are personal biological clocks that exist in each one of our cells and they influence every aspect of our health. The Circadian Diabetes Code now applies this cutting-edge science to tackling type 2 diabetes. Combining circadian rhythms with intermittent fasting - the worldwide phenomenon launched in Dr Panda's lab - you'll find out how to use this unique protocol to take back control of diabetes and achieve life-long health. - Discover the best way to use intermittent fasting to lose weight - Learn when to exercise to optimise blood glucose levels - Identify ideal times to eat meals and take medication - Why the science of circadian rhythms can help you reverse type two diabetes

Parasomnias are phenomena that occur exclusively during sleep or are exacerbated during sleep/wake transition. These disorders are known to contribute towards impaired quality of life, disturbed and non-restorative sleep, risk for injuries to self and others and often associated with other medical, neurological and psychiatric disorders. Advances in sleep medicine have revealed a high prevalence of parasomnias across all ages. With the growing interest for diagnosing and management of parasomnias in sleep medicine, a practical guide to parasomnias is greatly needed. Parasomnias provides a comprehensive review of epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic evaluation and treatment of parasomnias across the patient's life span. Written by experts, each chapter integrates the latest research and clinical data. In addition, several chapters address medico-legal and forensic aspects of parasomnias. Clinicians and researchers with an interest in sleep medicine will find Parasomnias to not only be an important contribution to the literature, but an indispensible guide to identifying, understanding and treating this disorder.

"Integrative Therapies in Lung Health and Sleep" provides an overview of integrative therapies to assistclinicians caring for patients with acute or chronic lung diseases and sleep disorders--emphasizingthescientific bases for these therapies; and their implementation into clinical practice. This volume focuses on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments, modalities, and practices that are integrated with conventional medical treatment and for which there is some evidence of safety and efficacy. Whole Medical Systems, with a specific focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine, are also addressed. Individual chapters are devoted to specifichealth conditions or illnesses, addressing the current state of the science in the four organizing CAM domains, including available information regarding benefits, risks, or safety considerations. Unique aspects of this volume are the chapters related to evaluation of the evidence base for integrative therapies; new animal model research with herbal preparations focused on the serious problem of sepsis in the ICU; guidance for counseling patients with chronic lung illnesses who may be desperate for a cure; and palliative and end-of-life care for patients withchronic lung conditions. Clinicians in various health care settings will find "Integrative Therapies in Lung Health and Sleep" beneficial in their practice, particularly as the use of integrative therapies becomes more widespread.
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Sleep disorders represent a major portion of the chief complaints seen by pulmonologists and other physicians. Sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome for example, are common disorders with significant adverse health consequences. Sleep apnea is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, impaired quality of life and increased motor vehicle accidents. In addition, sleep apnea often co-exists with other chronic conditions including obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and tobacco use disorder. Patients with sleep-related conditions often present with non-specific complaints that require a broad and detailed knowledge of the wide range of sleep disorders.

In Essentials of Sleep Medicine: An Approach for Clinical Pulmonology, a concise, evidence-based review of sleep medicine for the pulmonologist is presented. Providing a focused, scientific basis for the effects of sleep on human physiology, especially cardiac and respiratory physiology, chapters also outline a differential diagnosis for common sleep complaints and an evidence-based approach to diagnosis and management. This includes a review of the current standards of practice and of emerging technology and unresolved issues awaiting further research. Each chapter includes a summary of current research and outlines future research directions and issues. In all, Essentials of Sleep Medicine: An Approach for Clinical Pulmonology provides a clear diagnostic and management program for all the different sleep disorders, with a major focus on respiratory disorders of sleep, and includes key points and summaries. Developed by an international group of renowned authors, Essentials of Sleep Medicine: An Approach for Clinical Pulmonology is an invaluable resource for pulmonologists, respiratory care practitioners, polysomnographic technologists, graduate students, clinical researchers, and other health professionals seeking an in-depth review of sleep medicine.

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Explore the biomechanics of 30 key yoga asanas, in-depth and from every angle, and master each pose with confidence and control. Introducing Science of Yoga - an all-encompassing science book to help you better understand yoga anatomy in order to perfect your practice and poses Did you know that yoga practice can help treat age-related memory loss better than brain-training games? Recent scientific research now supports what were once anecdotal claims about the benefits of yoga to every system in the body. Science of Yoga provides a detailed insight into variations of key yoga poses and the specific benefits of different styles of yoga on the human body, system by system. Dive right in to discover: -Specially commissioned CGI artworks show 30 asanas in depth and detail the physics of the pose - 16 spreads of clear, easy-to-understand scientific facts and research answering key questions around ancient and modern claims - Illustrated section on the benefits of yoga on the human body system by system - Easy-to-understand research is presented in an easy-to-understand format with illustrated pullouts, debunking the myths and explaining the scientific facts, from breathing techniques to mindfulness Science of Yoga is a riveting read, and reveals how your blood flow, respiration, muscles and joints work below the surface of each yoga pose, whilst teaching you to achieve technical excellence in your practice, from the comfort of your own home. The first yoga book on the market to combine detailed anatomical drawings, pose mechanics and key scientific research, Science of Yoga is a must-have volume for yoga beginners and professionals alike, seeking an accessible and easy-to-read guide on the effects of yoga on the human body from a scientific standpoint. Whether you're looking to take up yoga this New Year, or your yoga poses are already perfect, this science book sets out to separate the facts of yoga from the myths, with proven scientific research.

Insomnia is responsible for a great deal of lost productivity, accidents and suffering. Ironically, the more you try to sleep, the worse the situation becomes - so the key is to stop gritting your teeth and attempting to wrestle your wakefulness to the ground. In Beating Insomnia, Dr Tim Cantopher will help you to achieve a calm acceptance of your sleeplessness in the short term, so you can focus on solving the problem in the longer term. Firstly, you need to manage the stress or anxiety that might be underpinning your insomnia, and much of the book will show you how to do practical strategies using relaxation exercises and mindfulness. It will also help you to keep a sleep diary, to tackle specific problems which might be interfering with your sleep, and will give you advice on when - and when not - to consider medication to help you sleep. By working at the strategies in this book your insomnia will improve significantly and you will experience more peaceful nights.

The statistics show that as much as twenty percent of the population suffers from chronic insomnia-and one-fourth of those with the condition eventually develop an anxiety disorder. As comorbid conditions, they contribute to any number of physical and social problems. Yet too often insomnia is undiagnosed, or treated as merely a symptom of the patient's anxiety. Insomnia and Anxiety is the first clinician guidebook that considers the evaluation and management of insomnia and related sleep disturbances that occur conjointly with the common anxiety disorders. By exploring the ways that one condition may exacerbate the other, its authors present robust evidence of the limitations of viewing insomnia as secondary to GAD, agoraphobia, PTSD, and others in the anxiety spectrum. The book reviews cognitive and emotional factors common to anxiety and sleep disorders, and models a cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy in which improved sleep is a foundation for improved symptom management. Beginning and veteran practitioners alike will find vital insights into all areas of these challenging cases, including: Diagnostic and assessment guidelines. Cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia. Behavioral strategies for managing insomnia in the context of anxiety. Cognitive strategies for managing comorbid anxiety and insomnia. Sleep-related cognitive processes. Pharmacological treatment considerations. Insomnia and Anxiety is highly useful to clinical psychologists given the range of treatment strategies it describes and to researchers because of its emphasis on the theoretical and empirical bases for its interventions. In addition, its accessible style makes it an excellent training tool for students of therapy and psychopathology.

The diagnosis of mental illness is frequently accompanied by sleep problems; conversely, people experiencing sleep problems may subsequently develop mental illness. Sleep and Mental Illness looks at this close correlation and considers the implications of research findings that have emerged in the last few years. Additionally, it surveys the essential concepts and practical tools required to deal with sleep and co-morbid psychiatric problems. The volume is divided into three main sections: basic science, neuroendocrinology, and clinical science. Included are over 30 chapters on topics such as neuropharmacology, insomnia, depression, dementia, autism, and schizophrenia. Relevant questionnaires for the assessment of sleep disorders, including quality-of-life measurement tools, are provided. There is also a summary table of drugs for treating sleep disorders. This interdisciplinary text will be of interest to clinicians working in psychiatry, behavioral sleep medicine, neurology, pulmonary and critical care medicine.

In today's media-saturated and hyperconnected society, increasing numbers of people are finding it hard to switch off their overstimulated brains and escape the demands of daily life. We are becoming, it seems, a world of insomniacs but this condition of perpetual unrest has plagued people for centuries. The roots and effects of insomnia are complex, Eluned Summers-Bremner reveals in this fascinating study, and humans have employed everything from art to science to understand, explain and mitigate this problem. This exploration of sleeplessness begins with the literature of ancient times, and finds its sufferers in such prominent texts as the "Iliad", the "Odyssey", the Mesopotamian epic "Gilgamesh", and the Bible. "Insomnia" continued to figure large in Romantic and Gothic literature, as the advent of street lighting in the nineteenth century inspired the fantastical blurring of daytime reality and night spectres, and authors connected insomnia to the ephemeral worlds of nightmares and the Sublime. Meanwhile, throughout the ages insomnia has been variously categorized by the medical community as a manifestation of a deeper psychological or physical malady: in medieval and early modern times, for example, physicians and philosophers saw insomnia as a symptom of lovesickness, melancholy or even demonic possession. As modern medicine and science evolved, insomnia emerged as a distinct symptom of such ailments as psychological illness or post-traumatic stress disorder following war. Today's medical solutions tend to involve prescription drugs, and "Insomnia" raises important questions about the role of the pharmaceutical industry and the effectiveness of such treatments. Bedside reading of the most useful sort, "Insomnia" won't put you to sleep, but it will help you understand the problem and its surprisingly rich cultural legacy.