Sleep and Dreams

Author: Empson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: If readers hope to learn about the broad knowledge related to sleep and seek introductory reading on sleep research, this book is a must-read. This is my recommendation—to all readers seeking introductory knowledge about sleep. —Colin Shapire, from The Times Higher Education Supplement
Empson’s work is exceptionally well-written and stands as the best in its genre, deserving a wide readership. —Ilan Oswald, from Nature magazine
This excellent book provides extensive information on sleep and dreaming. Even those without specialized knowledge will find it engaging and easy to understand. Additionally, it includes ample literary and scientific insights. For this reason, even those well-versed in sleep research will discover many fascinating tidbits and rare insights in this book. —British Journal of Psychiatry
The division of day and night is undoubtedly one of the most profound mysteries of life on Earth. Overall, it is a kind and generous arrangement: it allows us to restore vitality through our self-imposed brief rest, free from exhaustion and unable to escape, without being blamed for the relentless passage of time. We are intermittent beings, always rising at dawn and resting at sunset. Our consciousness quickly tires, so we must operate intermittently, while the world of the next day will bring astonishing changes, either comfortable or unsettling; similarly, the night and sleep accompany each other, cleverly satisfying our needs with sweet imagery. All this leaves humanity in awe. Creatures often unknowingly enter the dark realm of sleep without dreams, experiencing countless illusions that even angels would marvel at. Our lives are so fragile yet capable of enduring such extreme differences, yet no philosopher has ever offered an explanation. —Alice Munro: The Black Prince
The division of day and night is undoubtedly one of the most profound mysteries of life on Earth. Overall, it is a kind and generous arrangement: it allows us to restore vitality through our self-imposed brief rest, free from exhaustion and unable to escape, without being blamed for the relentless passage of time. We are intermittent beings, always rising at dawn and resting at sunset. Our consciousness quickly tires, so we must operate intermittently, while the world of the next day will bring astonishing changes, either comfortable or unsettling; similarly, the night and sleep accompany each other, cleverly satisfying our needs with sweet imagery. All this leaves humanity in awe. Creatures often unknowingly enter the dark realm of sleep without dreams, experiencing countless illusions that even angels would marvel at. Our lives are so fragile yet capable of enduring such extreme differences, yet no philosopher has ever offered an explanation. —Alice Munro The Black Prince