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The Nocturnal Brain
- Tales of Nightmares and Neuroscience
- Narrated by: Dr Guy Leschziner
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
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Summary
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 groundbreaking audiobook, Dr Guy Leschziner takes us on a fascinating journey through the nocturnal brain to illustrate the neuroscience behind nightmares, night terrors and sleepwalking.
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What listeners say about The Nocturnal Brain
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 22-12-19
Great listen for anyone with an interest in sleep
I really enjoyed listening to this book. The content was interesting and easy to follow.
I’m a respiratory trainee, with some basic sleep exposure during my training and this book was recommended by a neurologist friend, but I don’t think you need any prior knowledge or reading to understand the content as everything is so well explained. I was listening to this for enjoyment but felt that I picked up a lot of useful knowledge and tips along the way- for example I had never heard of the glymphatic system. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but I would highly recommend this book!
7 people found this helpful
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- Robert
- 02-08-19
Very interesting
Packed with information. A book that can be listened many times. Addressed to general public but also a borderline medical textbook. I am looking forwards to more books by the author.
6 people found this helpful
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- Elaine R
- 26-01-20
Thank you so much this book was a godsend
I often have trouble sleeping so wanted to try and understand why. Really interesting and informative and often amusing book which helped me understand my own sleep issues.
4 people found this helpful
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- Jane
- 23-02-20
Fascinating
Fascinating cases of oft-bizarre sleep disorders, narrated by the author. Well-told and highly interesting. The section on nightmares (and the related cases) gives much food for thought.
2 people found this helpful
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- Elizabeth Clark
- 03-02-20
Fantastic book not at all what I expected
Loved the narrators voice - always a plus, great content . Thought it was going to be a bit mundane but really interesting mix of medical case notes and story telling. Went way beyond stop drinking coffee and Diet Coke.
2 people found this helpful
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- Rudeehelen
- 13-10-19
Such a luxury
I just feel completely blown away. This is a very educated and academic insight into the nocturnal processes. I'm incredibly interested in the psychology of sleep and this has broadened my mind beyond belief.
His voice alone when reading it will take you places!
Well written, well spoken. It will elaborate on what you wanted to ask lol!
2 people found this helpful
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- Mrs. K. Locke
- 07-07-19
Very informative
Accessible but detailed. Clearly explains a range of complex concepts and highlights how broad the field of sleep disorder is and how it overlaps and may be indicative of other related neurological health challenges. Well worth reading and enjoyable to listen to.
2 people found this helpful
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- Rosamongthorns
- 05-06-20
Thought provoking, reassuring, amusing
Excellent book, combining science and insight with the uniquely human perspective. A superb example of qualitative understanding. Highly recommended.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mrs S.
- 21-04-20
Fascinating !
A truly fascinating read.
Originally I bought this book on a whim, thinking it would probably be way above me, but not so thanks to Dr Guy Leschziner ability’s to impart knowledge.
Dr Guy Leschziner explains fully everything in such a way that can be understood so long as you have some basic understanding of human biology and an insatiable appetite for the unusual, I’m sure that anything else your not too familiar with can be cross referenced fairly easily.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone either coping themselves with an unusual sleep pattern or indeed anyone coping with someone else’s unusual sleep pattern !
Brilliant, very definitely worth 5 stars.
Thank you Dr Leschziner, this subject is clearly a passion rather than just a specialty to you and I hope you continue to investigate further and to pass on your knowledge regularly.
1 person found this helpful
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- Matthew O.
- 19-05-22
Didn't put me to sleep
I found this audiobook very interesting, and hearing the potential links between seemingly trivial daily activities and sleep has completely changed the way I think about sleep. Not to mention the potential links with other disorders, such as Parkinson's, that hit much closer to home.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-05-22
Wish I didn’t buy it
Lots of boring stories, very little information. I enjoyed the author’s voice though. I was hoping for more information on the brain’s workings at night, but can’t be bothered to listen to the whole book.
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- Amazoncustomer
- 20-04-21
I recommend this book to all psychotherapists
This is a wonderful book. Reading it helped me understand better the neuroscience underlying sleep. The patients' stories encouraged me to think about the neurological foundation of sleep disorders and go beyond the "face value" of sleep challenges encountered by patients who seek psychotherapy for various mental health problems.