This well-researched book explains what sleep is and that it’s important for everyone, especially teenagers, who are the “most sleep-deprived group of any individuals the world has ever seen,” according to psychotherapists and sleep specialists Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright. The book discusses why not getting enough sleep is so common for adults, as well as the issues associated with chronic sleep problems (e.g., increased traffic accidents, loss of work productivity). Unsurprisingly, studies show young people aren’t getting enough sleep because of their constant digital device usage and because they are overextended with school activities and other responsibilities. One teen is quoted as saying she wishes the consequences of driving drowsy had been addressed in her driver’s education classes. The dangers associated with too little sleep are discussed, and suggestions for developing healthy sleep habits are offered. Studies show that the few schools that have moved to late start times for students have yielded positive results. A useful and concisely written resource full of compelling statistics.

The lifesaving and life-changing magic of getting adequate sleep—and the perils of skimping on it, for both old and young.
Nardo covers the bases: what sleep is; why people today often don’t get enough; why this deficit is especially common among teens (short answer: electronic devices); the dangers of inadequate sleep; and how to improve our sleep quality and quotient. About one-third of an average
lifespan is spent asleep—twice as much time as is spent working for a living. Sleep is cardiovascular-repair time, and it offers mood, alertness, coordination, and other dividends. REM sleep is brain-maintenance time. But sleep deprivation has perhaps reached epidemic proportions: about one-third of Americans do not get an optimal amount of sleep, leading to many negative outcomes. The perilous consequences of sleep deprivation, the focus of Chapter 4, appear in other contexts throughout the book. These effects are not fun, and avoiding them might involve sacrificing—or at least reducing our consumption of—enjoyable things like screen time, caffeine, alcohol, and socializing. Luckily, the best and easiest fix cited here is simply maintaining consistent sleep patterns. Nardo’s clear and succinct style and reliance on up-to-date research make the book effective and reliable. There is some minor repetition, but that is probably a plus for sleep-deprived readers.
Chock-full of eye-opening statistics, this book is certainly not sleep-inducing. (source notes, further reading, index, picture credits) ( Nonfiction. 12­18)