"This monograph was stimulated by the extraordinary growth now apparent in an area, generally identified as sleep and dream research, for this recent concentration of scientific effort offers a singular example of the power that basic research can exert in penetrating the problems of mental health and illness. In the past year alone, the National Institute of Mental Health supported over 60 projects related in whole or in part to studies of sleep and dreams, with awards totaling over $2 million. The work of many of these NIMH investigators is included in this summary, which extends beyond the Institute's program insofar as necessary to indicate the major trends of work in the area. The report cannot, of course, encompass the classical studies already summarized in published literature, nor even provide comprehensive survey of present-day sleep research, for although much of the scientific data on sleep have been generated during the last dozen years, significant references in this field now number in the many thousands. The mosaic of disciplines contributing to the study of sleep contains such diverse fields as psychiatry, and mathematics, psychology, and biochemistry, physiology, and anthropology. Nevertheless, ferment about the subject matter and a spirit of cooperation across traditional disciplinary lines have made it possible to knit together data that might otherwise have lain unrelated in a variety of laboratories. During the past year, individual summaries of many of the projects cited here were distributed to scientists working in the field of sleep and dreams. Many of the recipients felt that up-to-date reports, especially in a field of such dynamic activity, represented a unique solution to the problem of scientific information exchange. Such communication, it was felt, provided a quick look at work in progress that might prevent duplication of effort and stimulate pertinent contacts among scientists, thus aiding them in their work. It is hoped that this monograph will be a further part of that process."--Foreword.

The Neuroscience of Sleep and Dreams provides comprehensive coverage of the basic neuroscience of both sleep and dreams for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students. It details new scientific discoveries, places those discoveries within evolutionary context, and links established findings with implications for sleep medicine. This second edition focuses on recent developments in the social nature of sleep and dreams. Coverage includes the neuroscience of all stages of sleep; the lifespan development of these sleep stages; the role of non-REM and REM sleep in health and mental health; comparative sleep; biological rhythms; sleep disorders; sleep memory; dream content; dream phenomenology, and dream functions. Students, scientists, and interested non-specialists will find this book accessible and informative.

"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.

Clinical practice related to sleep problems and sleep disorders has been expanding rapidly in the last few years, but scientific research is not keeping pace. Sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome are three examples of very common disorders for which we have little biological information. This new book cuts across a variety of medical disciplines such as neurology, pulmonology, pediatrics, internal medicine, psychiatry, psychology, otolaryngology, and nursing, as well as other medical practices with an interest in the management of sleep pathology. This area of research is not limited to very young and old patientsâ€"sleep disorders reach across all ages and ethnicities. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation presents a structured analysis that explores the following: Improving awareness among the general public and health care professionals. Increasing investment in interdisciplinary somnology and sleep medicine research training and mentoring activities. Validating and developing new and existing technologies for diagnosis and treatment. This book will be of interest to those looking to learn more about the enormous public health burden of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation and the strikingly limited capacity of the health care enterprise to identify and treat the majority of individuals suffering from sleep problems.