The nocturnal brain : nightmares, neuroscience, and the secret world of sleep

What happens to our brain at night? Are we really fully asleep and if so, how is it that some individuals end up doing what they do? Or can it be the case that perhaps the brain never fully goes to sleep and that in some individuals there is a disconnect between the sleeping part of their brain and the active part of their brain so that the two become confused? Does this happen to all of us in varying degrees and can the reverse be the case too, so that some individuals are actually asleep during the day while appearing to be awake?! In this ground-breaking book, Dr Guy Leschziner takes us on a fascinating journey through the nocturnal brain to illustrate the neuroscience behind nightmares, night terrors and sleep walking.;Introduction -- Greenwich Mean Time -- In the still of the night -- Disney was right -- Rumblings -- The sleep-talking bus driver -- Weak with laughter -- Buzzing bees -- Seized by the throat -- Floating eyeballs -- Jekyll and Hyde -- The waking effects of coffee -- A peculiar fairy tale -- Inception -- Losing sleep -- Epilogue : some general thoughts on sleep -- Appendix of diagrams. 'With my job on Today, I have become obsessed with sleep. The Nocturnal Brain interweaves bizarre real life stories with cutting edge neurological science in the true tradition of Oliver Sacks. A fascinating read.' Martha Kearney, BBC Radio 4 'Casebooks of neurological disorders are often strange and wonderful, but this one is special.' Sunday Times ' The Nocturnal Brain will not promise to cure your insomnia, but it does make for an entertaining and thought-provoking bedtime read.' The Guardian For Guy Leschziner 's patients, there is no rest for the weary in mind and body. Insomnia , narcolepsy , night terrors , apnoea and sleepwalking are just a sample of the conditions afflicting sufferers who cannot sleep – and their experiences in trying to are the stuff of nightmares . Demonaic hallucinations frighten people into paralysis . Restless legs rock both the sleepless and their sleeping partners with unpredictable and uncontrollable kicking. Out-of-sync circadian rhythms confuse the natural body clock's days and nights. Then there are the extreme cases. 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. With compassionate stories of his patients and their conditions, Leschziner illustrates the neuroscience behind our sleeping minds , revealing the many biological and psychological factors necessary in getting the rest that will not only maintain our physical and mental health, but also improve our cognitive abilities and overall happiness . "For Dr. Guy Leschziner's patients, there is no rest for the weary--either in mind or in body. Insomnia, narcolepsy, night terrors, apnea, and sleepwalking are just a sampling of conditions afflicting sufferers who cannot sleep--and their experiences in trying are the stuff of nightmares. Demoniac hallucinations frighten people into paralysis. Restless legs rock both the sleepless and their sleeping partners with unpredictable and uncontrollable kicking. Out-of-sync circadian rhythms confuse the natural body clock's days and nights. Then there are the extreme cases. 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 severe, yet unfortunately nicknamed Sleeping Beauty Syndrome stuck in a cycle of excessive unconsciousness, binge eating, and uncharacteristic displays of aggression and hypersexuality while awake. With compassionate stories of his patients and their conditions, Dr. Leschziner illustrates the neuroscience behind our sleeping minds and explores the many biological and psychological factors that allow us to find the rest necessary to maintain our health and also improve our cognitive abilities and overall happiness."--Jacket