Review by Barry Parker:

As part of the Harvard Medical School Guides, this book comes with considerable stature. It begins with an excellent chapter on the ABC’s of sleep in which the science of sleep is discussed. In particular, the various types of brain waves and stages of sleep are examined. The following chapter deals with how much sleep we need; the author states that on the average Americans get 6.9 hours a night, and needs about 7.5. He emphasizes however, that there is a relatively large range in people. A particularly interesting chapter is one on sleep “myths,” and one of the myths he explores is whether or not you need less sleep as you age.

A central feature of the book is a 6 step plan for better sleep. This includes such things as a healthy lifestyle, maintaining good sleep habits, and watching for sleep sabateurs. He also has a long section on various sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea,and narcolepsy, and he does a good job of discussing each. In particular, he suggests treatments for each.

His discussion of sleep medications is more complete than those in most sleep books. He talks about most of the medications on the market, both over-the-counter and prescription, and he give his opinion of many of them. Like most sleep specialist, he does not strongly recommend sleeping pills, but points out the they do have their place. He also discusses herbs such as valerian and melatonin.

Overall the book contains a lot of useful information, and of course the author is a sleep specialist. It contains a more detailed discussion of the science behind sleep than “Good Night” by Michael Breus, and in general compares well with it. Although the two books cover many of the same topics, they compliment one another. One slight drawback is that it has no bibliography.

Barry Parker Ph.D. Author of “Feel Great Feel Alive.”

Review by Kimberly Sherman:

There are a lot of sleep books out there, but this one is unique in presenting the latest research in a readable style. And it covers a wide variety of topics, from infant and child sleep patterns to problems common in seniors … and everything in between. Whether you suffer from sleep problems yourself or struggle with a snoring partner, a colicky baby, or a sleep-deprived teen, you are bound to find answers here. My whole family bought this book– three generations — and we all sleep better now.

Review by Fred N. Bush:

The book “Sleep Disorders for Dummies” is like the other Dummies books in that it takes a rather difficult subject and makes it a easy for a normal person to understand. It fairly completely (at least for non medical professionals) covers the range of sleep problems from Insomnia to Narcolepsy with stops at other problems like Sleep Apnea.

I was acquainted with some of the material before, but found this book to be easy to read and understand. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to know about sleep problems.

Review by Sandra Ferguson:

The book was informative and easy to understand. The author seemed sensitive to the suffering of patients with sleep disorders. He seemed like the answer to long suffering. The information from the book filled in the gaps for question I’ve had for many years. I was so excited I decided to look up Dr.Hirshkowitz for consultation. After two over night sleep studies, Dr. Hirshkowitz is nowhere to be found,no consultation. The clinic’s push is to purchase a sleep machine.

Review by Persnickety one:

There are many sleep problems and no silver bullet to fix them all. This book addresses many of them and seems to be a cut above average for sleep books. The CD is excellent.

My challenge is sleeping through the night and I have tried lots of things — books, the local sleep clinic, a CPAP (I have never felt so tired in my life as the day after I tried it: once was enough), sleeping pills and most recently this book. It is written very much in the style one would expect from a TV self help guru: lots of repeating how well it works, nearly blank pages to make it longer, some exercises and a CD. The exercises (with my rating of how they helped me) are:

Reduce your worries *

Practice feeling drowsy ***

Calming the internal voice **

Systematic relaxation ****

Changing your story

Value yourself * (good thing to do, but didn’t put me to sleep)

Letting the feeling unfold *

Asking the unconscious mind to help you* (So far)

Release the day *

Tapping your natural ability to sleep *

Image streaming *

Theatre of the mind **

People with a specific sleep problem should not expect most of the exercises to be targeted to their problem — I believe a realistic goal is a couple (three or four tops) and by that standard, the book is a success. The exercise described as best suited to my problem (waking up way too early, roaring to go) is the theatre of mind. Unfortunately, when I try to do it, all I can visualize is what I was thinking about before I started the exercise. But some of the others were helpful.

The book contains much of the same advice as other sleep books (no naps, no TV before bedtime, no clocks in the bedroom etc.). I would say that part of the program is about average for a self help book.

The best thing about the book is the CD. My wife and I have taken to listening to it at bedtime and I have done well enough getting back to sleep that I have been able to cope without taking a single sleeping pill since we started. I can complain about the stereotypical self help format, but I can’t argue with the success of the CD.

Review by P. Murphy:

I’ve tried dozens of “sleep” CDs and this one is far superior to all of them. I’ve only heard the end of it twice and went to sleep right after both times. I still occasionally struggle with waking early–which means that most early mornings I am asleep–yea! When I am kept awake by my too busy mind I use my favorite techniques (pretty much the opposite of the previous reviewer) and often I can get back to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. As I continue to practice my favorite techniques, it gets easier to stop thinking and go back to sleep, but even if I get no more relief than I have so far–it’s a major improvement and I’m very happy to have found Paul McKenna! The book is fairly short and easy to read. Incidentally, some of the very positive statements he makes about his techniques working are actually NLP and are designed to MAKE you think they work–it’s not arrogance or TV guru speak. If he tells you with great conviction that his techniques work well, he is planting the seed of conviction in your mind and you are more likely to have positive results. NLP is an amazing way to get results. Check out Richard Bandler’s Get the Life You Want: The Secrets to Quick and Lasting Life Change with Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Review by Mark Chung MD:

This is a great “must have” book which consolidates all the facts needed by an aspiring Sleep Medicine physician for clinical practice and for study. All the facts in this book has more than 85% of the information needed to study for the Sleep Medicine Exam! The text and study charts are easy to read and memorize. The 500 test questions with answers become great practice. What a bargain priced book! This book saved me time making notes…helping me pass the Sleep Medicine boards!

Review by John Turner MD:

Excellent review, with lots of questions and detailed answers in the back. Excellent value – probably the best bang for the buck available for sleep medicine.

Review by :

I highly recommend this book to anyone who suffers from insomnia. Dr. Hauri gives you all the facts about what could be causing your sleeping problem. He covers the effects of diet on sleep, including certain vitamins and minerals that promote sleep; the effect of exercise on sleep – how the amount and timing of activity is important; and how you might be upsetting your natural sleep cycle (you may be sleeping too much!) and how to reset this clock. Also, did you know that you may be conditioned to not sleep when you go to bed? He covers the Bootzin technique of overcoming this bad habit of bedtime-induced stress and anxiety.He discusses medical problems that might be contributing to your insomnia and when to seek a medical professional. He explains why sleeping pills are not a good long term solution and how to kick this potentially dangerous habit. He gives you relaxation techniques to help you manage your stress all day long. For any of you who were contemplating whether or not to seek treatment at a sleep disorders center, Dr. Hauri explains when it is time for you to seek this kind of help. He also covers what goes on in a sleep lab and what they will be monitoring. Dr. Hauri gives you all the facts about sleep so YOU can be your own sleep investigator. Easy to read and understand. Highly recommended!Thank you,Dr. Hauri, for helping me to feel so much more rested and refreshed.

Review by :

The depth and breadth of this book is impressive. Dr. Hauri is not pushing a particular cause of or cure for insomnia… he covers a wide range of possible causes and cures. With this breadth of information, the reader can explore his/her own causes and possible solutions. If you are a long-time insomniac, you may find info here that you haven’t seen elsewhere. I’ve had insomnia since childhood, have been to a well-known university sleep center, and found info in this book that has not been provided to me by any physician. Very, very helpful book. I’ve been sleeping well for 9 months nearly every night. Before I would have one good night of sleep every 6 months or so.

Review by Lisa Ray Turner:

This book is an excellent overview of sleep and sleep disorders. It’s written in an interesting, readable way and gives great information. Some of the sleep disorders are fascinating — Schenck goes beyond “the basics.” Sleep sex? Who knew? This is a great book for anybody who’s having trouble getting the sleep they need.

Review by B. Touhey:

Heard him on the radio a few weeks ago and was so intrigued on the various sleep studies and disorders. I suffer from chronic insomnia for about three months now and finally picked up this book for a solution. It was easy to digest & offered a lot of different solutions to combat the insomnia. With prescribed medication and a change in behavioral patterns, the nights are getting better. There is also an astonishing amount of information on all kinds of sleep disorders – some I never even knew existed… check it out!

Review by Bonnie MacBird:

Yes, it’s too long; and the lack of an index is frustrating. But Dement presents ideas here that need to be heard, and haven’t before. Sleep is not a simple process that can be distilled into a soundbyte – and his scientist’s training won’t let him devolve this into a mere list of “tips to sleep better”. So, it it worth wading through 450 pages? A resounding yes. My own sleep problems were helped the very night I skipped ahead to the sleep hygeine chapter (the closest things to tips in the book). My understanding of jetlag and “prime time” for creative work will help me in the future. My respect for sleep has grown and will change my decisions. My realization of how close I have been to falling asleep at the wheel is terrifyingly clear. I am sending the book to one friend who I am sure suffers from a life threatening sleep lack. And unlike the reader who found Dement’s career history self serving, I hear instead a plea for more research on this vitally important subject. Fascinating, readable, likeable, surprising, and worth every minute of your time to read. Although the writer’s style is easy and readable, it alone would not rate five stars. But the content is five star plus. Buy it!

Review by David H. Peterzell:

“The Promise of Sleep” is the eminent Dr. Dement’s magnum opus for the masses. It contains more information than most of us will ever want to know about sleep. It is a long and intricate book, and it reads like a grant proposal. Most of us will read the sections that apply to us, and will use the book as a reference. I didn’t read the whole thing and neither did any of you. So if you plan to read the whole thing… you are dreaming. But I find myself returning to this book repeatedly, for various health-related reasons. Here I discuss the people I think will benefit from this book, and why. Then I discuss what I believe to be Dr. Dement’s biases, for better or worse. Finally, I discuss some other books which you might consider in addition to, or instead of, this one.

Here are the people who will benefit from this book, and why.

1) PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TURBO-CHARGE THEIR SLEEP. You want to optimize sleep’s restorative powers, and to optimize your mental functioning while awake. I believe that you are unlikely to find a better source of practical information than this book, though of course there are free sources available online. The fourth part of the book (about 125 pages) is devoted to “The Principles of Healthy Sleep.” This section includes 6 chapters that include self-assessment procedures, ways to set priorities and seek professional advice, strategies for dealing with specific situations (e.g., driving, flying, difficult work schedules), ways to optimize sleep across the lifespan, ways to manage caffeine, alcohol, other drugs, diet, and exercise to improve the quality of sleep, and more. Personally, I found the tips for dealing with jet lag to be very helpful, and non-intuitive in some instances. And I’ve reduced my “sleep debt” significantly. And… I’ve used tips to optimize creativity.

2) PEOPLE WHO SUSPECT THAT THEY HAVE A SLEEP DISORDER. You want to diagnose yourself or someone you know. First off, let me assure you that you are right to try to educate yourself in this way. Managed care medicine (which dominates the US) is not exactly geared toward diagnosing and treating sleep disorders, and you are likely to know more about sleep disorders and their consequences than many medical professionals. So go for it. Have the facts ready when you go to battle with clinical professionals who can’t or won’t do their jobs. I’m not advocating that you diagnose yourself without proper medical assistance. But knowing what to look for, and knowing implications for diagnoses makes plenty of sense. Appendix A lists the menu of sleep disorders. I found this list very helpful relative to sources that I use professionally, as a psychotherapist. Therapists typically use the DSM-IV diagnostic scheme, which is OK but highly limited. Dr. Dement’s list is MUCH more comprehensive than the diagnostic schemes that I’ve seen elsewhere, but his list seems credible because HE is so credible. Additionally, Part 2 of the text (about 100 pages) is titled “When Sleep Fails.” This section contains 5 chapters with considerable information about diagnosis and treatment. It contains sections on (among other things) the insomnias and their causes (e.g. mood issues, fibromyalgia), snoring and sleep apnea (a hugely important chapter; obstructive apnea is vastly under-diagnosed but treatable), narcolepsy, sleepwalking and sleep terrors, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

3) PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SLEEP DISORDER, AND WANT TO LEARN MORE. There’s plenty in the book about theory, methods, and applications. If you want to become a walking encyclopedia on your (or your loved one’s) sleep disorder, this book is an excellent place to start. Moreover, Dement provides websites which provide good information. You’ll want to consult these websites to find out about new developments. For instance, CPAP machines for sleep apnea continues to improve, so find out the latest.

4) MEDICAL AND HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. Many clinicians don’t know much about sleep disorders, and so this is a good place to start. Diagnostic tools like the DSM-IV are highly limited. (see 2 above). As a mental health practitioner who asks about sleep and who teaches group stress reduction courses, I’ve found that I’m in a good position to screen for things like sleep apnea. For instance, I’ll sometimes have a room full of people doing a “body scan” or “progressive relaxation” and a fair number of people will fall asleep, and begin to snore. When I mention sleep apnea to these people, they usually haven’t heard of it. But more than a few of them got the official diagnosis, and are benefiting from treatment. If you refer your clients to a sleep lab / sleep study, Appendix A gives you a language and classification scheme that you’ll find very helpful.

5) INSTRUCTORS WHO WANT TO TEACH ABOUT SLEEP. I can imagine this book being used as a textbook for a course on sleep. There’s plenty of theory, methods, and clinical interventions discussed in this book. I teach grad psychology classes that touch upon these topics, but this book is WAYYYY too long for that. I plan to review Appendix A in my classes, and to find a short chapter on sleep disorders (preferably by Dr. Dement). Once again, the DSM-IV offers a very basic coverage of sleep disorders, but Dement’s coverage is more thorough.

Here are Dr. Dement’s BIASES, as I see them.

1) Dr. Dement has a bias that causes him to emphasize some treatments while dismissing (more or less) other treatments. The reader will want to be aware of these things. I’m not saying Dement is right or wrong, but if your bias differs from his, you should know the following. Dr. Dement tends to favor the judicious use of medicines like sleeping pills in some instances, and he’s less enthusiastic about many “alternative” strategies, such as herbs.

2) I’ve heard some people suggest that sleep treatments (like CPAP machines for sleep abnea), have become something of a racket. The suggestion is that if you go for a sleep study, it is worth it to the practitioners to diagnose you and sell you a CPAP machine. If that’s the case, then perhaps Dr. Dement feeds into this conflict of interest, which leads to unnecessary treatments. Personally, I don’t buy this. I think Dr. Dement is on to something BIG, and that we’ll be better off if we diagnose and treat sleep disorders, with greater frequency.

Here are a couple other books that tackle many of the same topics. This book is not the only or final word on this topic.

Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine, 4th Edition (Principles & Practice of Sleep Medicine) by Meir H. Kryger, Thomas Roth, and William Dement (2005). For clinical professionals.

Sleep Disorders for Dummies by Max Ph.D., A.B.S.M. Hirshkowitz, Patricia B. Smith, and William C. Dement (2004)

So… I recommend the book and thank Dr. Dement for his remarkable contributions to sleep medicine.

****UPDATE**** March, 2007. There’s a GREAT program on sleep that is viewable online via The Science Network and Roger Bingham. Search for “The Science Network” and “Waking Up to Sleep.” The program contains hours of entertaining by leading sleep researchers. (Dement is not included among the speakers.) MUST SEE…