Sleepyhead

July 15, 2018
A broad investigation of sleep that should prove useful "for everyone who wants to improve their sleep."For years, British science writer Nicholls (The Galápagos: A Natural History, 2014, etc.) suffered miserable daytime drowsiness before doctors made the correct diagnosis: narcolepsy. This revelation gave him a personal interest in the science of sleep, which he puts to good use in this lively, accessible overview. The author recounts the history of sleep, describes the latest research, and chronicles his "hundreds of interviews that I have conducted over the last five years with scientists, doctors and others like me who suffer from some kind of dysfunctional sleep," but he devotes most of the text to sleep pathology. Nicholls begins with case histories of bad sleepers, including himself, and what scientists know. All higher animals sleep; it's essential for life. There are many explanations as to why, so no one knows the correct one. Sleepers pass through distinct stages including dreaming, a subject that fascinates scientists no less than laymen. All mammals dream, human for about two hours every night. Like sleep, dreaming may be essential. All cultures believe dreams have deep significance, but researchers are skeptical. Nicholls writes fluidly about disorders of sleep, including insomnia, nightmares, and sleepwalking, as well as conditions with wildly bizarre features, from hallucinations to terrors to murderous behavior to paralysis. He shows particular interest in his own problem, narcolepsy ("a wildly variable spectrum disorder"), an approach that is particularly illuminating. Besides intense sleepiness, it includes oddball features such as cataplexy (sudden collapse without losing consciousness), sleep paralysis (inability to move when awakening), and vivid hallucinations when falling asleep. Science writing has a modest audience, medical advice a huge one, and Nicholls offers a pleasing combination; readers looking for self-help should consult his excellent bibliography.A fine introduction to sleeping: when it works and when it doesn't.

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July 16, 2018
Science writer Nicholls (The Galápagos: A Natural History) uses his decades-long experiences with narcolepsy as a jumping-off point for this stimulating exploration of sleep. He relates his own condition, and the related one of cataplexy—an abrupt loss of muscle tone in response to strong emotion—to the more common experiences of insomnia and sleep apnea. Nichols is careful to ground readers in the history of research into REM and circadian rhythms, but takes more interest in new research, primarily concerning a certain kind of neurotransmitter, the hypocretin. As he reveals, a genetic study of narcoleptic dogs in the late 1990s suggested problems with the functioning of the hypocretins could be involved in multiple sleep disorders. Along the way, Nicholls shares a few dramatic cases—including one of a man who strangled his wife while both were sleeping—but avoids the traps of sensationalism and prurience by keeping his focus on himself and others whom he meets. Actual advice on better rest is modest and ranges from common sense, such as avoiding caffeine, to research-based but perhaps counterintuitive, such as sleep restriction as a treatment for insomnia. Everybody sleeps, and Nicholls’s entry into the genre of pop science books that use the unusual to illuminate the everyday has equally universal appeal. Agent: George Lucas, Inkwell.

August 1, 2018

In his latest work, accomplished nature writer Nicholls (A Natural History) turns his research and expository skills toward his life with narcolepsy. After recounting his experiences, he focuses on the discovery and treatment of narcolepsy. He also takes a broad view of sleep disorders, showing how complex and interrelated the subject matter can be. Included are stories of various sleep dysfunctions, such as cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. Along the way, Nicholls tells the history of the science of sleep, including the race to uncover the underlying neural pathway of narcolepsy and its key proteins, known as hypocretins or orexins. The author's style is conversational and the writing easy to follow. The book does not include in-depth discussion of brain anatomy or physiology; those interested in more detail will need to dig into the endnotes. VERDICT Anyone living with narcolepsy will be interested in this book, as will those with other sleep disorders. Readers simply curious about the science of sleep should also find it engaging.--Nancy H. Fontaine, Norwich P.L., VT

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