The Sleep Solution

December 19, 2016
As a neurologist specializing in sleep issues, Winter certainly has good credentials to back up his promise to readers that they’ll finish his book with a “newfound sense of what it means to have healthy sleep.” This can clearly be an elusive thing; a researcher in 2007 found that as much as 1/3 of the U.S. population suffers from insomnia. Despite that daunting statistic, Winter provides some reassuring context (”nobody dies from insomnia”) and urges readers to stop saying they “don’t sleep, or can’t sleep.” After enlightening readers about the brain chemistry involved with sleep and insomnia, the book provides a number of quick and easy steps to take: ditch the antihistamines, create a nurturing environment, identify (and eliminate) certain bad habits. Winter lists the “10 sleep commandments” and addresses the role of sleeping pills (they’re okay, with an exit plan) and naps. Throughout, there are quick quizzes, occasional exercises, and useful and brief “cutting-edge science” tidbits. Near the conclusion, Winter spends two chapters summarizing specific disorders, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy. The book ends on a pragmatic but encouraging note, reassuring readers that achieving healthy sleep is possible, with patience—the process may take some time. Agent: Jeff Kleinman, Folio Literary Management.

March 1, 2017
A no-nonsense, science-based guide to achieving restful sleep from the doctor Ariana Huffington calls the "sleep whisperer."Right off the bat, Winter, a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, dispels a powerful sleep myth: he asserts that everyone sleeps. In fact, he argues that insomnia is not an inability to sleep; instead, it reflects a person's dissatisfaction with the quality of the sleep and, in many cases, an accompanying anxiety about a perceived lack of sleep. This reorientation of the problem casts a long shadow on the crowded market of sleep solutions, and the author cuts through the noise of pharmaceuticals and gimmicks to propose natural, implementable solutions that anyone can try at home. Throughout the book, his tone is refreshingly conversational, and while he backs up his suggestions with established research, he keeps the jargon to a minimum and focuses on clearly laying out a) the most common reasons a person's sleep is disrupted or unsatisfactory and b) how to train the mind and body to regularly achieve restful, satisfying sleep. This is not to say that everyone can solve their sleep problems by lifestyle modifications alone; Winter examines the medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, that can result in disrupted sleep and long-term poor health. He also recommends an occasional device to help regulate sleep patterns or make bedtime more consistently enjoyable. However, the big takeaway is that sleep conditions are treatable without taking a pill and that, like so many things, a psychological adjustment may be the key to success. Many people will find this fact alone a huge relief from sleep-related stress and will be on their ways to achieving better rest. The rare book that may help sufferers of poor sleep improve their quality of rest simply by elucidating the context of good sleep and offering the right techniques to achieve it.

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Starred review from February 1, 2017

Have insomnia? Are you someone who says, "I just don't sleep!"? Here's the good news: you do sleep. It's right up there with food and drink. If you don't sleep, you die. However, you may be sleeping badly. Winter, a neurologist and internationally renowned expert, explains why, and discusses what to do about it. His well-written explanation of what sleep is and what can disrupt it shows how to make the most of the sleep you do get. The author dispenses common advice, such as how over-the-counter "sleep aids" may work at first, but then can make one's sleep worse and possibly predispose one for developing dementia. He also discusses how to develop good sleep habits, nap effectively, arrange your optimum sleep environment, and be awake productively. Featured graphs depict normal and abnormal sleep patterns, and how they can be affected by drugs. There are suggestions for products that help keep sleepers cool, or warm; that turn off the "hamster wheel" effect; and that help insomniacs stop worrying about their lack of rest. VERDICT This highly recommended title will appeal to those who have trouble sleeping--and who hasn't? [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.]--Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH

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