Book Review: The Sleep Solution: Secrets for a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep disorders affect not only the person with the disease but also the person's family, friends, caregivers, society, and the population at large. The author of this volume Dr. Manvir Bhatia was trained by premier institutes, such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Harvard, and is a well-recognized sleep expert both nationally and internationally. The book's Foreword and Afterword were also written by some of the world's most notable sleep experts, namely, Prof. At the beginning of the book, the author has mentioned that the aim of this book was to serve as an all-encompassing guide to sleep-related issues for everyone, regardless of age and gender. In order to fulfill this need, this book is organized into four parts: Part I—Understanding sleep; Part II—Sleep and the body; Part III—Sleep problems; and Part IV—Solutions. Part I introduces the subject to the readers and provides a brief account on what sleep is, why we sleep, understanding sleep, how much sleep we need, effects of sleep deprivation and sleep debt, and the measurement of sleep. In part II, the author explores sleep and health, sleep and beauty, and sleep and food. In part III of this book, the most common sleep disorders are discussed, as well as other topics that will interest the general reader. These include sleep and technology, the adverse effects of technology, as well as the effects on sleep of lifestyle, substance abuse, and relationships. Finally, part IV of the book provides practical advice concerning sleep hygiene and how to obtain more restful sleep. Readers will also benefit from simple screening tools for evaluating sleep, summary boxes, figures, tables, sample case histories, and key points for better sleep, which interspersed throughout the text. Finally, the book also provides further guidance regarding relaxation methods, sleep hygiene practices, as well as simple yoga asanas to help with sleep issues. Dr. Bhatia's writing style is very readable and easy to follow. The author goes into only as much detail as is needed for the reader to follow her main theses. The book is well-organized, well-balanced, wonderfully written, and provides an overview of sleep and sleep disorders in a plain and simple language. This book will appeal to both patients who have sleep disorders and physicians who treat sleep disorders alike. The book will be of interest to trainees as well as clinical sleep researchers who want to have a basic …