Sleep – something most of us look forward to doing at the end of a hard day. But sleep is so much more than just rest. It is a complex part of our body’s cycle that is vital to our survival and everyday functioning. Scientists and sleep experts have written many books on sleep, making it easier for us to understand this vital process.
Sleep is a time in which our muscles relax and our brain carries out processes that are linked to our quality of life. It can be broken down into four stages. Each stage is unique in terms of what our body and brain does doing during that time, and how long the stage lasts for.
Sleep is fascinating and luckily there have been lots of books written about it. Some focus more on the science side of things whilst others work on how to change your poor sleeping habits.
Here are some of the top 5 books on sleep:
(Please note, I have included information on the authors because I think it is important to know just who is writing the book and what their expertise is).
Book 1. Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams
by Matthew Walker
Published: 2017
Pages: 368
Author: Matthew Walker is a British neuroscientist, with a degree in neurophysiology.
As you can imagine, with it being written by a scientist, this book looks closely at the science behind sleep. It is eye-opening. The first page immediately hits you with brutal facts about what happens to your body if you don’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep:
- Disruption of your blood sugar levels
- Increased hunger
- Increased risk of developing cancer
The list goes on…
From there, the book is broken down into four parts, including what sleep is and how it has been affected in modern society. There is also a part on dreams and whether they serve a function.
If you heard the word ‘science’ and thought this would be too complicated a read, it is not. It is written for everyone, so that as many people as possible can read and understand the importance of getting enough sleep each night.
Want to understand the function of sleep and the science behind what happens to your body if you don’t get enough sleep? Give this book a read, it is fantastic!
Book 2. Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock and How It Can Revolutionise Your Sleep and Health
By Russell Foster
Published: 2022
Pages: 480
Author: Russell Foster is a British Professor of Circadian Neuroscience and has been awarded numerous prizes and awards for his discovery of non-rod non-cone ocular photoreceptors.
This book focuses on our circadian rhythm, our body’s internal clock that runs on a 24-hour cycle. It is essentially your internal sleep and wakefulness schedule.
The discussion starts with the idea that in modern society, many of us live a life that isn’t in tune with our circadian rhythm. In fact, we push against it by staying out late. Slowly but surely, we have pushed a lot of our social activities into the night, after dark. This is a problem.
But why?
In this book, Russell Foster explains in detail what our biological body clock does and the scientific studies that have helped us understand it. He of course uses some of his own studies but when you have this much expertise and have written and co-written over 100 published scientific papers, I think that is more than ok!
This book tells us that it is not only what we do but when we do it, that is vital for us to fill happy and healthy lives. For example,. He explains how going for a walk at dawn is a great way to have a good night’s sleep.
The reality is that living our lives as most of us do now is not in line with our internal body clocks,. If you want to understand why and what to do to about it so you can sleep better at night, along with other health benefits, go read this book.
Book 3. 4 Weeks To Better Sleep
By Dr Michael Mosley
Published: 2023
Pages: 320
Author: Dr Michael Mosley has lived a varied life, studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at university, before studying to become a doctor. After graduating though, he decided to join the BBC as a trainee assistant producer. From there he has worked and starred in numerous TV documentaries and has written many books, including ones on intermittent fasting and longevity.
On the front cover of this book, it says:
A life-changing plan for deep sleep, improved brain function and feeling great
Which sums up this book perfectly.
The book is split into two parts:
- Part One: The Science of Sleep
- Part Two: The 4-Week Sleep Plan
No book on sleep would be complete without some sort of scientific background and so the first part of the book. Compared to the previous two books I’ve mentioned, the science is a bit lighter however it is still fascinating. Knowing what puts us to sleep, keeps us awake and whether we are getting enough, are all useful things to know.
Part One ends on ways to boost your sleep and how eating can affect whether or not you have a good night’s sleep. So now you know all the facts and studies behind sleep, it’s time to put them into practice in Part 2.
Part 2 provides you with a sleep diary, I would advise photocopying the diary so you always have access to a template. There are some things to do before you start the 4-week sleep plan, such as checking your mattress and removing certain objects from your bedroom.
The book guides you through each week, giving you things to do and think about each day. And that is what I love about this book, careful thought has gone into this sleep plan to make gradual changes over time, not make 20 changes on the first day. It even provides you with recommended recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and they sound delicious!
If you are looking for a more practical book on how to sleep better, this is the book for you.
Book 4. How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest
By Merijn van de Laar
Published: 2025
Pages: 304
Author: Merijn van de Laar is well qualified to write about sleep, having studied biological physiology at university and going on to gain a PhD on sleep and insomnia treatment.
In some ways, this book throws a bit of a wrench into everything mentioned so far. Merijn doesn’t just look at the science of sleep and our circadian rhythms, he also investigates the origins of sleep. He does this by studying 21st-century hunter-gatherers and archaeological findings of our ancestors. And he calls into question some rules that we take for fact.
An example of this is how shorter bedtimes may be better and that he suggests you may not need eight hours of sleep every night. If you travel a lot, you may want to read about how this devastates your internal clock.
This book is a fascinating mix of ancient wisdom and how to utilise this wisdom to help us sleep better, in a time where we have truly strayed from our best and most natural sleeping ways. Written by a sleep scientist who has spent years treating insomnia and other sleep disorders such as parasomnia, this book is a must if you have tried other ways of sleeping better and they just haven’t worked.
Book 5. Overcoming Insomnia and Sleep Problems: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques
By Colin A. Espie
Published: 2006
Pages: 256
Author: Colin is a Professor of Sleep Medicine in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, part of the University of Oxford. He has published over 300 scientific papers and a number of books.
This book has been included in the list because the reality is for some people, the previous books might be interesting but they are not helping them get sleep. It is estimated that 10-30% of adults around the world have insomnia, which means they regularly have problems sleeping.
Colin Espie’s book is part of the Overcoming series, a series where each book focuses on a disorder and gives you a step by step approach to using cognitive behavioural therapy as a way to break free from the disorder. You can see the whole series here:
The idea behind this book is to treat the causes of insomnia and to provide readers with a methodical approach that has worked for others. For those with insomnia who are willing to stick with the process, this book is worth looking at.
Overall
There are a lot of books out there on sleep and it can feel overwhelming trying to sift through them all to find one for yourself that is both interesting and useful. I hope these suggestions prove to be useful to you, whether you are looking for a fix to your poor sleep or just looking for a greater understanding on the science of sleep.
