As the Nocturnal Brain points out, theories of dreams and sleep extend from ancient Egypt, to the Hebrew Bible, to the modern theories of Jung and Freud. But Dr. Leschziner chooses a different tack. Focusing on the neurological origins of sleep-disorders he simultaneously derives insights into the nature of sleep and the workings of the human brain.
He does this by mixing case-studies from his own clinical practice with detailed sections explaining the neurotransmitter imbalances and lesions to the brain that are at the root of sleeping disorders.
The disorders range from the irritating (restless leg syndrome) to serious (narcolepsy) to the bizarre (sexsomnia). All all told with a wealth of detail and human interest that makes the book a page-turner.
The neuroscientific sections are not for the faint of heart. I’ve read a lot of popular science on neurology and had trouble keeping straight all the different brain regions and neurotransmitters relevant to sleep abnormalities.
But the examples from clinical practice well balance the more technical sections and all in all make for an engaging read.
I would even go further and say this is an important book. For too long sleep disorders have been clouded by Freudian psychoanalytic babble. Understanding their neurological basis is sure to help the large swath of the population who encounter a sleep disorder at some point in their lives.
An essential read for all who want to understand the workings of their own brain via the mechanisms behind sleep disorders. Guaranteed to not make oneself fall asleep while reading.
One of the rare books that adds something genuinely novel to popular scientific literature. Highly recommended.
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Absolutely not ok
When my book arrived it was beautiful. Wrapped in plastic and amazing condition until I got to the inside of the book and found a security sticker stuck inside on a page of the book blocking the text on the page. I was absolutely livid. I had to gently peel the sticker off in order to maintain the ability to still read the text I was trying to access. I ended up inadvertently damaging my brand new beautiful book. As someone who is an avid book reader and has a large collection of books this is NOT ok. If I buy new and pay full price I expect my books to be clean and undamaged especially my hard covers.
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