An excelling and fascinating book , The Nocturnal Brain by Dr Guy Leschziner is perfect for anyone curious to know more about one of the most mysterious of human activities - sleeping. Using examples and anecdotes from his clinical practice Dr. Leshziner first tries to explain the process and function of sleep, what happens to the brain and why sleep is so important for our overall physical and mental health. While many of the cases he describes are almost unbelievable, such as a woman who rode her motorcycle in her sleep, or humorous like the young man who mistook his shoe for a phone to hold a sleeping conversation, the truth is that a lack of sleep or poor sleep quality is no laughing matter and can have very serious consequences, as some of his other case studies demonstrate only too clearly. . Over the course of the book, the author explains, as much as current scientific knowledge allows, a variety of sleep disorders from sleep apnoea to sleepwalking, night terrors , insomnia and even rare conditions such as Kleine- Levin syndrome which can cause prolonged periods of sleeping in teens along with other symptoms. His explanations are matter of fact and designed for the lay reader, and his warm almost conversational style makes for enjoyable and illuminating reading. Over the course of the book I developed a real sympathy for those who struggle to sleep for any prolonged period of time, having thankfully never had any problems myself in that department, I think I did not really realise the devastating impact it could have . I would highly recommend this book, not just to anyone struggling with a sleep disorder but to anyone fascinated by the workings of that most fascinating of human organs, the brain.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

🧠 B O O K R E V I E W 🧠⁣
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Thank you to the author, to netgalley and to @stmartinspress for the #arc⁣ of an ebook
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TITLE: Nocturnal Brain⁣
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AUTHOR: Guy Leschziner⁣
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GENRE: Non-Fiction, Science⁣
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SYNOPSIS:⁣
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The books describes stories of Dr. Guy Leschziner’s patients with sleep disorders. He tells stories on his experiences with patients who have had insomnia (difficulty sleeping), narcolepsy (daytime sleepiness), night terrors, sleepwalking, demonic hallucinations that frighten people into paralysis, restless legs and problems with circadian rhythms whose own body clock confuses days and nights.⁣
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Additionally, extreme cases were presented in this book through stories. A woman in a state of deep sleep who gets dressed, unlocks her car and drives for several miles before returning to bed. The man who has spent decades cleaning out kitchens while 'sleep-eating'. The teenager prone to the serious, yet unfortunately nicknamed, Sleeping Beauty Syndrome, stuck in a cycle of excessive unconsciousness, binge eating and uncharacteristic displays of aggression and hypersexuality while awake.⁣
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THOUGHTS: ⁣
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The book is very well written. The book talks about sleep, but not one where we associate as quiet and blissful, but instead sleep that is punctuated by shouts, jerks, snores, twitches and the torture of poor or no sleep at all. I work in the healthcare field and particularly in the neurosciences, as a specialty, and found this book to be especially accurate, and interesting learning, for both professionals and non-health care professionals alike. It is almost certain, that more people than we think we know, suffer from some sort of sleep disorder. This book recounts well to know, how our bodies are affected with the lack of sleep. ⁣
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5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely fascinating to read the stories presented in this book. I have suffered from sleep paralysis in the past so I was particularly interested in this book. I'm glad I read it!

Extremely interesting and informative. Almost eerie but in the best way possible. I really enjoyed every second of this.

Well written and very interesting subject (in my opinion). The author recounts compelling stories, which were handled very well, and explains what science knows and doesn't about each experience.
The ebook version was difficult to read due to the formatting, so I would recommend the hardcopy version. Plus, you could highlight more easily - and you will want to, trust me!

Dr. Guy Leschziner invites readers to witness some of the most extreme sleep cases he's handled in his career as a neurologist in The Nocturnal Brain. Written in a personable but science based vein akin to The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat (which is referenced early on as an inspiration), Dr. Leschziner's cases truly make you realize that no matter how awful you may feel after a rough night, there are people out there living with far more chronic, life altering conditions.

The fourteen case studies in this book typically all follow the same pattern: Dr Leschziner will introduce the sufferer, detail their malady, and then delve deeper into the brain functions, symptoms, and causes associated with their particular condition. Often, sections will be wrapped up with the treatment plan for the patient, which is often successful but in some worrying instances is not. A myriad of sleep disorders are covered, ,from restless legs to sleep eating, 25 hour circadian rhythms to "sexsomnia".

Dr. Leschziner is clearly an expert in his field, but mentions multiple times throughout the book about the numerous times he's had to admit to himself and patients that there are things we "just don't know" about sleep and the brain. In these moments, he takes a step back from the clinical and shows his humanity; a man that truly cares about helping his patients. For me, this underlying current is what makes the book succeed.

***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press.**

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Nocturnal Brain.

This is a fascinating book about some of the most popular sleep disorders (and not so popular) most people experience at least once in their lives, such as insomnia.

The author, an expert in his field, uses case studies culled from his patients, who were kind enough to share their troubling sleep disorders.

For each patient, Dr. Leschziner offers a brief profile and character study, how he came to his diagnosis, treatment and what part of the brain the disorder originates from.

There's no doubt how vital sleep is, for our mental, emotional and psychological health.

The Nocturnal Brain is a trove of useful information for anyone who suffer sleep disturbances and want to learn more. Hopefully, people suffering from poor sleep will find hope and seek help after reading this.

It's also an interesting read for anyone intrigued by what happens when we sleep.

Dr. Leschziner is the first to admit his love for the books and the work of Oliver Sacks and it is also pretty clear from the way he describes his patients and their stories. As a lover of everything brain related I am just very happy that there are more books similar to the ones Sacks used to write.

Il Dr. Leschziner é il primo ad ammettere l'importanza che hanno avuto per lui i libri ed il lavoro di Oliver Sacks, cosa che poi emerge chiaramente dalla lettura di questo libro nel modo in cui descrive i suoi pazienti e i loro sintomi. Da lettrice appassionata di tutto quello che ha a che fare con il cervello, non posso che giovare del fatto che ci siano altre persone che scrivano libri simili a quelli di Sacks.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

The Nocturnal Brain is a interesting and informative book. The book is well written and researched. I learned some interesting science about sleeping.

The way in which the human brain functions during sleep still remains largely a mystery. But the things we already know are quite fascinating. In The Nocturnal Brain, Dr. Guy Leschziner, neurologist, describes some real-life instances of sleep gone wrong - and by that, we mean everything from a disrupted circadian rhythm to people whose brain can be simultaneously asleep and awake.

During every fascinating example, we are also told about what science knows around these issues, and we get to learn many interesting things that most people are unaware of.

The Nocturnal Brain is a fascinating read simply narrated so that all readers can fully understand everything that's described. If you're even a little interested in what happens to our brain (and our whole body, for that matter) when we're asleep, I definitely recommend you this book!