Why We Sleep: Book Summary & Review

Kurt and I read the book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, by Matthew Walker, at the beginning of this year. It was an amazing book and we’ve been working on establishing healthier sleep-related habits, as a result. I wanted to remember everything that we read, so I decided to put together this summary and share the recommended tips for better sleep.

Summary of Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

Throughout the entire Why We Sleep book, Matthew Walker shares research backing up his conclusions on the importance of sleep. Here is some interesting information about sleep from the book.

When sleep-deprived, you think you’re performing better than you really are. Most of us are chronically sleep deprived, unless we’re getting 8 hours of sleep every night, or more. Sleep deprivation causes increased risk for chronic health disease, as well as damage to attention, emotional control, and as it relates to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Interesting facts about sleep:

NREM clears out old memories and mental “trash,” then it moves more valuable information into long-term memory storage.
REM strengthens the valuable connections that remain, and it creates new connections.
Sleep improves long-term factual recall, sleep deprivation can prevent new memories from being formed.
Driving after having slept less than 4 hours increases crash risk by 11.5x.
Being awake for 19 hours (being past your bedtime by 3 hours) is as cognitively impairing as being legally drunk.
Exercise seems to increase sleep time and improve the quality of sleep.
In a natural experiment studying workers on opposite edges of a time zone, workers who obtained an hour of extra sleep earned 5% higher wages.
Electric light in your home delays your 24-hour circadian rhythm by 2-3 hours each evening.
Caffeine, alcohol, and sleeping pills create a cyclical pattern of sleep deprivation and lead to impaired health issues. If you must have caffeine, don’t drink it in the afternoon, and definitely not in the hours before sleep, the same with alcohol.

12 Tips for Better Sleep

Stick to a specific sleep schedule; go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.
Try to exercise every day, but no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Avoid caffeine and nicotine.
Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.
Don’t eat large meals or consume a lot of beverages late at night.
Avoid medicines that delay or disrupt sleep, if possible.
No naps after 3 PM.
Relax before bed.
Take a hot bath before bed. It will help lower your core temperature which needs to happen to fall asleep.
Keep your bedroom dark, cool (preferably about 65 degrees), and screen-free.
Use daylight to regulate your sleep cycle. Get enough sunlight exposure, especially in the early morning.
Don’t lie in bed awake. If you’re still awake after 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing.

Other Resources to Learn More

Overall, I would recommend everybody read Why We Sleep. While I’ve always know that sleep is important and healthy, I was shocked by much of the research presented in this book. I feel like it took reading this much about the necessity of sleep to convince me that it definitely requires a higher priority in my life. As a mom of babies and young kids, sleep is not something I’m in full control of, however, I know that I could always do better and cut out other things first.

If you get a chance to read this one, DO! There’s a lot of research, which ironically may put you to sleep, but it’s also fascinating! The practical tips at the end of the book, are a great summation of Matthew Walker’s lifelong dedication to the study of sleep.

Sincerely,