Why We Sleep

Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

Preview

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to Cart failed.

Please try again later

Add to Wish List failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wish list failed.

Please try again later

Follow podcast failed

Unfollow podcast failed

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free

Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection of 900K+ titles.

Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.

Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.

Standard auto-renews for $8.99/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Why We Sleep

Written by: Matthew Walker PhD PhD

Narrated by: Steve West

Try Standard free

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $33.29

About this listen

“Why We Sleep is an important and fascinating book…Walker taught me a lot about this basic activity that every person on Earth needs. I suspect his book will do the same for you.” —Bill Gates

A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this “stimulating and important book” (Financial Times) is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber.

With two appearances on CBS This Morning and Fresh Air's most popular interview of 2017, Matthew Walker has made abundantly clear that sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when it is absent. Compared to the other basic drives in life—eating, drinking, and reproducing—the purpose of sleep remains more elusive.

Within the brain, sleep enriches a diversity of functions, including our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge, inspiring creativity.

In this “compelling and utterly convincing” (The Sunday Times) book, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps towards getting a better night’s sleep every night.

Clear-eyed, fascinating, and accessible, Why We Sleep is a crucial and illuminating book. Written with the precision of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Sherwin Nuland, it is “recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense” (The New York Times Book Review).

Matthew Walker PhD PhDSteve WestSimon & Schuster Audio

Biological Sciences

Mental Health

Physical Illness & Disease

Psychology

Psychology & Mental Health

Science

Sleep Disorders

Human Brain

Physical Exercise

Health

Inspiring

Meditation

Longevity

Medicine

Physiology

Alzheimer's Disease

Substance Abuse

Cognitive Science

Biological Sciences Mental Health Physical Illness & Disease Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Sleep Disorders Human Brain Physical Exercise Health Inspiring Meditation Longevity Medicine Physiology Alzheimer's Disease Substance Abuse Cognitive Science

Editorial Review

During a lifetime, the average human spends approximately 26 years asleep. It might sound like a long time dedicated to rest, but as leading sleep expert Matthew Walker explains, so many of us aren’t getting nearly enough—and it’s having surprisingly far-reaching consequences.

Why We Sleep is an in-depth exploration of sleep. It reveals why we do it, what it’s good for, and what happens when we don’t do it enough. A professor of neuroscience and psychology, author Matthew Walker teaches us just how devastating the consequences of insufficient sleep can be. Yet, rather than scare listeners, his audiobook’s aim is to educate and raise awareness of the importance of making sleep a priority—not simply to avoid the negative ramifications but to reap the rewards of a good night’s rest as well.

Narrator Steve West shares the vital knowledge of Why We Sleep with listeners in a smooth, articulate, and well-paced voice. West has performed more than 200 titles and won over a dozen awards, and his experience and expertise are evident in his ability to make even the more technical aspects of sleep science accessible and easy to understand.

One of the world’s leading authorities on the topic, Walker has published more than 100 scientific studies on sleep. His first audiobook, Why We Sleep urges listeners to take sleep seriously and make quality time for rest.

Most Relevant

this book has truly opened my eyes to the importance of sleep. I have completely reprioritized my health habits to first optimize for sleep over all else and I will be buying a hard copy of this book for all of my family and friends.