About one-third of the US population suffers from different kinds of sleep disorders. A good night’s sleep is vital for our physical and mental well-being. Though we are quiet during sleep, our brain is very active during sleep performing many important biological functions. For sleep problems, many people resort to different methods including CBT, medical help, etc. We have compiled our best books on sleep which can help you fight insomnia and other sleep disorders.
The List of 15 Best Books on Sleep on Amazon
Sleep controls our physical and mental states throughout the day, increases our immunity and metabolism, and decreases the risk for chronic diseases. Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. Lack of sleep is associated with injuries, chronic diseases, mental illnesses, poor quality of life and well-being, increased health care costs, and lost work productivity.
We have curated the best books on sleep that you can find helpful during your fight with insomnia. Many people have benefitted from these books, so you can too.
1. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams By Matthew Walker
This is an international bestseller by Dr. Matthew Walker, a former professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and currently a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. This book explains deeply why adequate sleep is critical in every aspect of our life and what harms it can bring if we do not sleep properly.
The discoveries in sleep science over the last 20 years explain how both sleep and dream states shape our physical, psychological, and financial conditions. In this book, you will get all the answers such as what is REM sleep, the side effects of sleep aids, changes in the sleep pattern over age, etc.
But one thing should be confirmed if you are already an insomniac, you might not get good advice about how to deal with your sleeping problems. This book is for only those who want to understand the necessity of a good night’s sleep in our daily life.
2. Teach Yourself to Sleep: An Ex-Insomniac’s Guide by Kate Mikhail
This book by Shawn Stevenson will not only improve your sleep but also give you a life lesson that can change your life for the better. Shawn wanted to be an athlete, but as luck had it, a degenerative bone disease spoiled his dream. But he did not stop there, through better sleep and nutrition he regained his fitness and achieved business success.
Shawn’s book is full of tips and tricks which, if you can, will give you better sleep. The book also talks about the best sleep supplements and nutrients, and also about stress reduction exercises, and fitness tips that can help you.
4. Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed At Harvard Medical School by Dr. Gregg D. Jacob
This book explains Dr. Gregg D. Jacobs’ drug-free method to get relief from insomnia. This highly effective method based on cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to eliminate sleep problems among 80% of patients. If you are used to taking sleeping pills for sleep problems, this method can help you get rid of this. The book describes the potentially harmful effects of sleeping pills, eradicates the common misconceptions about sleep and health, and proves that Jacob’s method is more effective than the pills. Overall, the method elaborated in this book is highly recommended for pill-takers.
5. The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It by W. Chris Winter
Neurologist and sleep expert W. Chris Winter has helped thousands of patients and numerous professional athletes. Now he brings you the way to optimize your sleep and have good rest at night. His book, The Sleep Solutions, explores all aspects of better sleep including how your daily activities can positively or negatively impact your sleep, how sleeping pills can be misused, and how to deal with sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and circadian sleep disorders. The uniqueness of this book is that it makes you understand that insomnia is mostly related to anxiety and a problem made in your head. Once you understand the science behind sleep better, you can customize your lifestyle to achieve optimal sleep.
6. The Insomnia Workbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting the Sleep You Need (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) by Stephanie Silberman
No matter how much you decorate your house and how you make sleeping arrangements, as per The Insomnia Workbook, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the best treatment for insomnia. If you use this book, you do not have to see a professional CBT specialist as you can do it yourself. First, you need to identify how sleep problems affect your life, and then you can devise a plan to cope with them. This book will teach you different techniques such as stimulus control, sleep restriction, and deep relaxation skills. If you want to sleep quickly without any racing thoughts hampering you, you should buy this book.
7. Sleep Through Insomnia: End the Anxiety and Discover Sleep Relief with Guided CBT-I Therapy By Brandon R. Peters
If you are used to tossing and turning on your bed when you try to sleep, this book is for you. This book is based on a 6-week cognitive behavioral therapy program (CBT- I) that will help you to understand sleep better and cure insomnia. You will also have control over stress/anxiety that may arise while you try to sleep. Once you are used to getting sleep when you need it, you need to sustain that habit throughout your daily life, this book also helps you in achieving this. If you struggle for hours before falling asleep, Dr. Peters’s book will help you reduce that time.
8. Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those with Depression, Anxiety, or Chronic Pain (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) by Colleen Carney/ Rachel Manber
This is another CBT-I sleep workbook by Colleen Carney that if you can follow it effectively will be a substitute for a professional sleep specialist. This method can help you eliminate the worries that you will not fall asleep when you are in bed. It enables you to calm your mind from anxiety, depression, and chronic pain that may be hampering your sleep. You will need to understand your attitude and habits first in order for you to control your sleep, this book helps you in achieving that end.
9. No More Sleepless Nights by Peter Hauri
This book discusses different sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, etc., and helps you overcome them. It also talks about the dietary supplements needed for proper brain chemistry balance needed for sleep. It explores all the causes of insomnia and proposes ways to solve them. Peter Hauri is the director of Mayo Clinic’s insomnia program. In his book, he also teaches how to maintain your health in general and how this can improve your sleep.
10. The Sleep Workbook: Easy Strategies to Break the Anxiety-Insomnia Cycle by Renata Alexandre Ph.D.
If you want to conquer your anxiety-induced insomnia through easy to follow CBT-I program, this book can help improve your sleep and change your life for the better. The good thing is that you do not have to rely on sleeping pills that can harm you in the long run. The book helps you in pinpointing your sleep problems and making a personal plan to succeed in achieving better sleep. About 80% of the people who use CBT-I improve their sleep in long term.
11. The Effortless Sleep Method: The Incredible New Cure for Insomnia and Chronic Sleep Problems by Sasha Stephens
The author Sasha Stephens was an ex-insomniac herself, so she understands the pain associated with not being able to sleep. This book by Sasha offers you an easy and effective method to conquer sleeping problems. The better part is you will find natural and sound sleep without taking any sleeping pills or other aids if you can stick to the method by heart. The ability to sleep is innate in every human being, this book will help you rediscover it. It all starts on your mind, so if you can control that you are way ahead to defeat insomnia.
12. The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night by Dr. Guy Meadows
This is a unique self-help book for sleep problems as it combines both mindfulness meditation and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques. Dr. Guy proposes a five-week plan that will terminate the sleeping problems for good. This method is a highly effective and 100% natural remedy for insomnia. To ward off insomnia, first, you need to accept your sleep problems, then only you can succeed in achieving optimal sleep and thereby better quality of life. If you have failed with other methods, you can try to implement this method to improve your sleep.
13. Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps, and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind By Nick Littlehales
This book by Sleep Guru Nick Littleheads is a gift to elite athletes and business professionals around the world. Being the leading sport sleep coach, he trained many world-renowned athletes on how to sleep better including record-breaking British cyclists, international soccer teams, NBA and NFL players, and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Sleep controls many aspects of our life such as moods, motivation, alertness, decision-making skills, reaction time, creativity, etc. This book shares the proven strategies that anyone can follow to improve their life through sleep in this tech-driven world.
14. How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night By Rafael Pelayo
This book by Dr. Rafael Peyalo, who is an expert sleep clinician and professor at the world-renowned Sleep Medicine Clinic at Stanford University, may be a bit different than others as it offers a medically comprehensive and holistic approach to different sleeping problems. You will learn how to deal with transient and chronic insomnia, jet lag, snoring, etc., and how different lifestyle choices affect your sleep. You will get answers to your most pressing questions such as how exercise and meditation can improve your sleep, and when to see a sleep doctor for your insomnia. This book uncovers what you need to observe and what changes you need to bring to get optimal sleep and change your life for the better.
15. Better Sleep, Better You: Your No-Stress Guide for Getting the Sleep You Need and the Life You Want By Frank Lipman
In Better Sleep, Better You, Frank Lipman, functional medicine specialist, and sleep expert, explain how can devise a personal sleep protocol by observing your sleep schedule and making changes to it. Sleep deprivation can cause serious consequences such as mood alterations, memory impairment, Alzheimer’s, etc. By clearly explaining sleep science and real case studies, this book provides easy-to-implement advice that anyone can follow for better sleep and life.
You may also read: Top Books on How to Quit Smoking
Conclusion
So, we have shared our list of the top 15 best books on sleep that you can definitely keep on your bedside table as these can dramatically change your sleep habits. These books talk about different methods such as mindfulness, CBT-I, and other techniques for controlling sleep. Once you can understand your sleep better, you can surely devise a plan that works best for you.