How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest

by Merijn van de Laar, Joe Eyre (narrator), William Collins (publisher)

Sleep has hardly changed since Paleolithic humans snoozed soundly in their caves. While sabre-toothed tigers were their biggest night-time worry, today it’s stress and social media that keep us awake, but the solutions are the same, and sleep therapist Dr Merijn van de Laar offers understanding and advice to have you sleeping better within weeks.

How to get a better night’s sleep in 3

Don’t believe everything you read or hear about sleep Let go of the 8-hour rule Use the simple sleep diary in the back of this book to record your sleep pattern over 3 weeks Discover your personal sleep needs Examine your attitude towards lying awake at night Shorter total bed times might be better Focus on the reason for lying awake rather than on the reason for not sleeping Reduce stress Keep regular bedtimes Follow the rules of nature Respect your personal circadian rhythm Don’t tempt the night-time ghosts Human sleep as we know it today evolved hundreds of thousands years ago, to suit a hunter–gatherer lifestyle. It’s not always compatible with our modern lives, but remains an essential function, vital for our health, well-being and daytime functioning. In this groundbreaking new book, Dr Merijn van de Laar investigates the origins of sleep based on archaeological findings and anthropological studies in contemporary hunter-gatherers, looking at the major discrepancies between our primordial bodily needs and our current sleep-inhibiting behaviour.

Cave dwellers lived in balance with the forces of nature. They had adapted perfectly to environmental influences such as light, temperature and seasonal variations. The way they ate and moved during the day must have had a positive effect on sleep quality. We need to look to their example, and adjust our eating, exercise, light, temperature and, last but not our expectations towards sleep. By taking on board the ancient wisdom of our ancestors, we will improve the quality of our sleep, the way our bodies were designed to do it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Science, Self Help, Audiobook, Ebooks, Psychology

Audible Audio

Published January 16, 2025

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

a great book if you want to spend several hours of your life learning absolutely nothing.


some lines from this book:
"A way of counteracting heat is to use air conditioning."
"Prehistoric humans slept on beds of straw, branches and leaves, but nowadays most people use mattresses."
"There is no difference between strength training and cardio."
"After a period of courtship, a long term relationship may follow."
"Popularity is important to many people and a lack of friends or social contacts can cause stress."
"Cannabis use carries risks."
"Make sure you are in bed long enough. Also, do not lie in bed too long."

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you had the daylights scared out of you by Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, this book may offer a little respite. It is decidedly a self-help book for insomniacs rather than a more technical account of all the ways in which sleeping poorly is going to kill you. Curate your own experience accordingly.

[KRM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got a review copy from Harper Audio via Netgalley, all opinions my own.

If you enjoyed Why We Sleep, you will love Sleep Like a Caveman. It is more focused on practical tips for sleeping, but still includes a lot of theory about why we sleep the way we do. It's a lovely blend of anthropology, psychology, and biology. The tone is hopeful rather than preachy, it makes you excited about getting better sleep rather than feeling guilty over bad sleep.

When I teach students to analyze arguments and rhetoric, I always ask "was it persuasive enough to make you do something differently from now on?" and even when they think the argument is well written and well reasoned, that question sometimes makes them realize it still wasn't persuasive enough to make a change. This is one book that, for people personally, IS persuasive enough for me to try new sleep habits. I think the premise of "what environment did we evolve to sleep best in" is clever, and the title is not just attention-grabbing, it really is a through line to every chapter.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest takeaway from How to Sleep Like a Caveman? Most sleep studies are poorly designed. Merijn van de Laar explains how so much of what we think we know about sleep is based on bad science and worse reporting. Surprise! We don't need eight hours of sleep at night. This book leans heavily into the idea that it isn't actually poor sleep which is to blame for many of our sleep issues, it is the way we think about sleep. It is stressing about not sleeping which turns not sleeping into a major problem. Lots of food for thought. I appreciate the very specific and practical advice found in the last part of the book. Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit boek heeft mij een heel goed beeld gegeven over hoe slaap nou eigenlijk in elkaar zit en alle fabels mijn wereld uitgeholpen.
Ik hoop dat ik met de gegeven tips en kennis wellicht wat beter ga slapen :))

[Chalthria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirja perustuu unitutkijan omiin kokemuksiin sekä muihin tutkimuksiin. Mielenkiintoisesti kirjoitettu! Itselleni oli mukavaa se, että kirja vahvisi mitä olinkin jo ennen ajatellut - ihminen ei oikeasti tarvitse 8 tuntia unta, vaan maailmalla keskiarvo nukutun unen määrässä on jossain kuuden ja seitsemän tunnin välissä.

[Matt Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read quite a few books on sleep now and this one was interesting as it was from a different angle. Focused on it from an evolutionary perspective and generally argues against the need for 8 hours sleep. Good, but not as good as “Why We Sleep” or “Life Time”.

[Belen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was intrigued by this audiobook because I value my sleep so much, I wanted to learn more about how to sleep effectively or more soundly. This book does just that.

In his book, Van de Laar discusses the sleep studies conducted on modern day hunter-gatherers (as close as we could get to how cavemen likely slept) and compares the trends to Western societies. He then gives advice and help on how to train our sleep to mimick these, and ideally, help with issues like insomnia or daytime sleepiness.

Van de Laar breaks down common myths, tips, and tricks, and debunks or supports them using research. I really appreciate that he emphasizes the research and science behind each commonly known trick or social media trend to determine whether it’s based in science or not. He also gives his input as to why certain things may or may not work, based on his background as a sleep therapist.

Overall, the book was easy to listen to, and was backed by research and meta analyses instead of just surface level “help”. I’ll definitely be applying some of these tips to my sleep!

[Emily Dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just hard to finish. I learned some new and interesting information about sleep but really felt like I was wading through a lot of very poorly written attempts at making the book flow and catch the readers attention. The author inserts a LOT of jokes that do not land, and continuously alludes to further explanation in the coming chapters of multiple topics introduced early on. It is clumsy, repetitive and not engaging enough. I fully was expecting to be excited about the content of this book but I’m now feeling like another book about sleep and/or circadian rhythm and natural ancestral wisdom would have been more palatable. Lonnnng book short, change your mindset about your quality and quantity of sleep to a positive one and accept that cavemen were comforted by restless sleep (it allowed them to watch for those saber toothed tigers ofc) and that’s how we should be too, because our world is like a million saber toothed tigers lurking in every corner of our physical and mental space!!! The best tip this book gave, and the most important takeaway, was about light and how important it is to setting us up for a good sleep. Just 20 minutes of natural sunlight in the morning is powerful enough to knock you out at night people. Do it! And you won’t even have to read this book. Two stars for effort, raising awareness of important science based natural sleep aids, and a clear summary of everything said multiple times.

[Kayleigh White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it, and it helped me when talking to friends and family about their sleep experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed the topic, examples, and studies which helped me reevaluate my views on sleep. Hopefully for the better, especially in the area of health. A wonderful and informative read.

I didn't expect how insomnia-centric the book would be, and was disappointed to hear about the correct amount of being even less than we imagine as someone who can sleep, entirely naturally, nine and a half hours and still wake up wanting to close my eyes again. I was hoping for a book on short, regenerative, and restful sleep, and instead got one on long, peaceful, and low-pressure sleep which I am already quite good at.

[kurp · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chcesz dobrą książkę o śnie? Przeczytaj "Dlaczego śpimy" Matthew Walkera. Dowiesz się po co nam sen, zrozumiesz jego strukturę, będziesz się dobrze bawił a na koniec może nawet zmienisz podejście do snu i rytm swojego życia (ja serio zmieniłem, bez jakiegoś napinania, po prostu ta książka na mnie wpłynęła i z perspektywy czasu widzę, że podejmuję inne decyzje). A ta książka? Tę sobie po prostu odpuść.

[Nikol Jircikova · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is not the book's fault, but rather mine. I chose to read it in order to learn new things about sleep and indeed, there were some.
However, I don't suffer from insomnia - on the contrary, and therefore, most of the information passed me by.
I am not saying it is a bad book, just not really for me.

[Banikoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un compendio interesante sobre teorías y estudios sobre el sueño. Como dormimos y como el estilo de vida moderno nos afecta. Algunos aspectos antropológicos me pacieron interesantes (por que tenemos ritmos diferentes). En general, para mi, nada nuevo.

[Amie · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night's Rest by Merijn van de Laar promises better sleep by looking back at how our ancestors might have dozed. It mixes science, history, and a bit of humour while arguing that modern sleep problems come from straying too far from our natural rhythms.

I thought this was fun but not life-changing. Some of the concepts made sense, others felt more like quirky trivia, and I can’t say I’ll be rolling out a bearskin rug by the fire anytime soon. Still, it was entertaining to imagine my inner caveman snoozing more soundly than I do.

[Hypsypops · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was… pretty good. It is really written with insomniacs in mind, and the two take away messages I got are:

1) if you are having trouble sleeping, or you think you are lying awake too long at night, it’s okay to sleep less. So if you are in bed for nine hours, but sleep for six, it’s okay to only spend six hours in bed. He goes in detail about how to do this properly (this numbers, and how to increase and so on). He talks about how most of us don’t actually need nine hours in bed.

2) if you are lying awake at night, that’s okay. He talks in detail about how this one tribe spends nine hours in bed, but is only asleep for a little over six, and how that is normal. If you are laying in bed, resting, that’s okay, and almost as good as sleep. The problem only comes when you worry about why you aren’t sleeping.

Honestly, after writing this out, I increased my rating to five stars. It’s a little dry, but I do think I’ll listen to it again.

[Jaana Angeria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirjassa on varsin paljon kiinnostavaa tietoa. Kirjan kirjoittaja unitutkija Merijn van de Laar romuttaa käsityksen siitä, että oikea määrä unta olisi kahdeksan tuntia ja että yöheräily olisi jotenkin huono juttu. Teoksessa on myös paljon konkreettisia neuvoja ja vinkkejä sekä referoituna valtava määrä erilaisia tutkimuksia.

Mutta kirjan rakenne on ärsyttävä. Jatkuvasti sanotaan, että tästä asiasta lisää luvussa se ja se tai tästä asiasta kerrottiin jo luvussa se ja se. Paikoin kirjassa myös käytetään ns. sinäpassiivia.

Jos on kiire ja haluaa saada kirjan tiedot ja vinkit pääpiirteissään haltuun, kannattaa lukea lopun yhteenveto eli luku 12 "Tärkeintä on tasapaino".

[Katinka Brink · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doordat thema in detail wordt besproken, had ik de indruk dat schrijver in herhaling valt. De verwijzingen naar volgende hoofdstukken, maakt het minder overzichtelijk en logisch. Mijn voorkeur gaat uit naar een meer beknopte uiteenzetting.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Za váš špatný spánek můžou instagramy a lstiví novináři.

[Annefleur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toen mijn slaap ineens ‘stuk’ leek de afgelopen maanden ben ik op een zoektocht gegaan naar wat helpt om die weer te maken. Dit boek werd me aangeraden door een therapeut. Op concrete vragen (Hoe kan ik weer doorslapen als tussen 4 en 5 wakker word?) vond ik niet direct antwoord en ik vond de informatie soms wel heel beperkt. Maar met een eigen vertaling neem ik toch wat dingen mee: Voor een ontregeld zenuwstelsel heb je rust en veiligheid nodig, en vervolgens tijd. Het is normaal dat slaap verandert (en dat je dus niet meer zo slaapt zoals toen je 20 was). En als je geplaagd wordt door nare gedachten, neem dan deze mindfulnessmetafoor mee als gedachtenoefening: beeld je in dat je in een open plek in het bos bent, heel behagelijk bij een kampvuur. Bekijk alle dieren die langskomen, maar die vanwege het vuur heus hun afstand zullen behouden. Leuke en neutrale gedachten zijn dieren die je leuk vindt, nare gedachten zijn de engere dieren (die je alsnog niet kunnen ‘pakken’, want vuur). Ik vond ‘em mooi.

[Leen Wielfaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leest vlot door het gemakkelijk woordgebruik, de goeie voorbeelden en de humoristische kwinkslag.
Niet al te diepgaande wetenschappelijke uitleg maar toch voldoende om een basis te hebben en onderwerpen te kunnen uitpikken om je verder in te verdiepen.
Ideaal informatief boek om tussen romans door te lezen

[Wouter Pustjens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aardig boek. Doorprikt een paar mythes (8u slapen) en geeft een aantal nuttige tips om je slaappatroon te verbeteren. T las alleen niet zo lekker weg, het is duidelijk door een wetenschapper geschreven: methodisch, maar daardoor weinig creatief en wat saaiig. Maar misschien was het juist de bedoeling dat het slaapverwekkend was..

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this but I kinda liked the premise. I think I've read too much about sleep and this just didn't tell me anything new. The angle was comparing our modern day sleep practice to caveman times and what we have inherited. Got a bit tedious

[L.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ciekawa książka, lekko i przystępnie napisana. Obala trochę mitów (albo przynajmniej wskazuje, że niekoniecznie musi być prawdą to, w co przyjęło się wierzyć). Oczywiście głównie nastawiona na ludzi chodzących spać przed północą i wstających rano ;) (takie godziny podaje w podpowiedziach) ale trzeba przyznać, że autor dostatecznie często wspomina o tych, dla których normalniejsze jest późne chodzenie spać i późne wstawanie. Książka może też pomóc, jeśli ktoś ma problemy ze snem (może głównie taki jest jej cel), ja nie mam, ja mam problem z czasem na sen ;) Ale okazuje się, że ograniczanie snu też może wcale nie jest tak szkodliwe jak zwykło się uważać! - no tego mi było trzeba! :D Także polecam :D A tak poważnie: miło, że ktoś wreszcie zdejmuje presję. I poważnie: też w dużej mierze dlatego książka przypadła mi do gustu ;)
I jest sporo humoru, ale nie przesadzonego - lubię to ;)

"Osoby starsze i prezentujące bardziej poranny chronotyp gorzej znoszą negatywny wpływ pracy zmianowej na sen i w ciągu dnia trudniej jest im funkcjonować. Z kolei ludzie o chronotypie wieczornym są na ogół mniej podatni na wszystko, co może obniżyć subiektywną jakość snu, ale jeśli zdecydowanie preferują porę wieczorną, to w logiczny sposób ich subiektywna jakość snu spada w okresach, kiedy muszą pracować na pierwszą zmianę."
(pdf.str. 108)

- jest to też zgodne z moimi obserwacjami... Btw. "jakość snu spada" to jest bardzo delikatnie powiedziane :D

"Z oczywistych powodów człowiek jaskiniowy nie korzystał rano z funkcji drzemki w budziku."
(pdf.str. 112)

- :D Ale ja również nie korzystam - bałbym się, że zaspany coś nie tak kliknę i zaśpię (jak to możliwe, że ludzie się tego nie boją?), dlatego ja od razu ustawiam 2-3 budziki w odstępie kilku/kilkunastu minut :D No ale autor opisuje negatywne konsekwencje tego procederu (których, nawiasem mówiąc, ja akurat nie zauważyłem już od kilku lat).

"Ekran smartfonu emituje raczej zbyt mało światła, aby doprowadzić do zaburzeń snu, ale w przypadku komputerów oraz tabletów sprawa ma się inaczej, ponieważ tutaj emisja jest większa. Nie bez znaczenia jest również czas korzystania z takich urządzeń. Badacze twierdzą, że korzystanie z ustawionego na maksymalną jasność tabletu na dwie godziny przed snem ewidentnie hamuje produkcję melatoniny. Jednak nie tylko światło ekranu może zakłócić nam sen, ale też to, co robimy na samym urządzeniu. Na przykład tryb nocny nie chroni niemal wcale przed negatywnym wpływem używania ekranu dotykowego. „Aktywne” korzystanie z urządzenia przed snem to zły pomysł, nie tyle z powodu kontaktu ze światłem, ile zaangażowania umysłowego, jakiego zazwyczaj wymaga ta czynność."
(pdf.str. 116)

- również i to jest zgodne z moimi obserwacjami...

"Wyobraźcie sobie, że codziennie, bez najmniejszych wyjątków, zasypiacie o trzeciej w nocy i nigdy nie budzicie się wcześniej niż jedenasta przed południem. To wskazuje, że wasz zegar biologiczny się późni, tak jak w zespole opóźnionej fazy snu, czyli DSPS."
(pdf.str. 196)
- to by była jakaś regularność, całkiem niezła :P Niestety u mnie takiej regularności nie ma ;)

(czytana/słuchana: 3-10.2026)
5-/5 [7/10]

[Dea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting perspective on sleep health! There are countless books and articles written about the purpose, importance, and consequences of sleep patterns that almost read like scare tactics (e.g., " Sleeping less than 8 hours will give you early-onset dementia!"). Merijin van de Laar offers a refreshing and positive, introspective approach grounded in evolutionary psychology.

Of course, getting enough high-quality sleep is essential, but van de Laar also sheds light on the wide range of variability and personal sleep needs. I'm glad to see someone highlighting the fact that the "8-hour rule " does not have much scientific basis, and it might not even be the ideal amount for the majority of people.

This book is written for the lay audience, but has tons of helpful citations if one is interested in reading the empirical papers on which the work is based. I consider my foundational knowledge on sleep health to be above average, but I still found certain aspects of the book to be unique and interesting.

The primary distinguishing factor of this book compared to the rest of sleep literature, obviously, is the evolutionary approach. I was surprised to see that humans are one of the very few species who are ground sleepers. In fact, the evolution of human cognition was greatly influenced by our species' transition from tree- to ground-sleeping.

I was also very surprised by the advice of sleep restriction for people who are struggling with insomnia. It seems counterintuitive to spend less time in bed if you are aiming to sleep more, but van de Laar provides a handful of well-justified reasons why this works (spoiler: sleep pressure!).

The author also does an excellent job explaining terms frequently (and wrongfully) used interchangeably, such as subjective vs objective sleep quality and sleepiness vs fatigue.

Overall, this is an excellent overview of the evolution of human sleep, alongside some helpful tips and tricks on improving sleep quality. Merijn van de Laar is a sleep physician and shares his personal and professional experience, making this a worthwhile read. I enjoyed the evolutionary perspective as well as the positive take-home messages that one of the first steps of improving sleep health is to stop obsessing over sleep health.

Thank you, NetGalley and Mariner Books, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Sleep Like a Caveman mixes historic and scientific research with Merijn van de Laar’s personal and professional experiences to explain common sleep issues. The audiobook explains elements of sleep that I had never even considered before, and it was wonderful to listen to van de Laar’s genuine curiosity about sleep. Van de Laar keeps the audiobook practical by relating the research to normal sleepers, including “good sleepers” and those with sleep problems.

I loved the pacing of Joe Eyre’s narration! The audiobook had a lot of information, and Eyre narrated clearly and articulately so the listener could understand all the material. I enjoyed how the audiobook was very nonjudgmental, especially since sleep problems can be something that many people are self-conscious about. Chapter 10, which covered parasomnia, was my personal favorite, as I suffer from frequent nightmares. The suggested strategies for better sleep were not unique or groundbreaking—they were definitely suggestions that one could find with a quick online search—but their descriptions and the overview of studies that supported them were intriguing. I will be implementing some of these practices into my own sleeping habits, like avoiding the snooze button, getting enough exercise each day, stretching, and setting a specific time to relax prior to bedtime. I will also include the sleep journal from the appendix in my sleep tracking routine.

However, I did not like that some of the beginning chapters were too long, and it was difficult to remember their main points. As the audiobook progressed, chapters became shorter and more manageable, which I appreciated. Also, some of the phrases were repeated too often, and by the time I was finishing the audiobook, I felt that I could predict what was going to be said.

Overall, I give How to Sleep Like a Caveman 4/5 stars. While some minor quality-of-life issues kept it from being a five-star read, I found it both engaging and helpful. I recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in improving their sleep routines or struggling with sleep issues. I think it would also be enjoyable for readers who love nonfiction!

Thank you to NetGalley, Merijn van de Laar, and HarperAudio for the ARC copy of the audiobook in exchange for my review! All expressed opinions are my own.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a nonfiction book about sleep, and more specifically about sleep difficulties, despite the fact that this is something I’ve personally struggled with for as long as I can remember. I found this book to be a solid and engaging introduction to the topic, and I really appreciated how it wove together historical, anthropological, and scholarly perspectives in a way that flowed well together.

I thought that this book struck a thoughtful balance between exploring the history of sleep and presenting current scientific research, which helped prevent it from becoming bogged down in one over the other. That said, I did find parts of it a bit repetitive, and there were some structural challenges that made it harder to stay fully engaged throughout. These issues didn’t detract from the content itself, but they did make me lose focus at times.

I also want to note that certain parts of the book felt somewhat insensitive or lacking in critical reflection; sometimes in relatively minor ways, such as a word choice, and at other times more significantly, such as in the way some cultures and communities, both past and present, were portrayed. There were moments where the language or framing felt overly simplified or detached from the broader historical and scientific contexts in which that knowledge was produced for Western audiences (which are/were often extractive and/or exploitative). A more nuanced, careful approach would have strengthened the book’s engagement with these topics and the people whose experiences and practices it draws upon.

Nevertheless, I found this to be an interesting and worthwhile read, full of useful information, resources, and avenues to explore in more detail. It’s definitely sparked my interest to explore the topic of sleep further and, in that sense, I think the book succeeds in doing what the author aims for in their professional work: helping people better understand, and ultimately improve, their relationship with sleep.

3.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the advanced copy for review. Opinions are my own.

[J Kromrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest by Merijn van de Laar, narrated by Joe Eyre

In a world obsessed with sleep hacks, blue-light blockers, and melatonin gummies, How to Sleep Like a Caveman offers a refreshingly primal perspective: maybe the secret to better sleep isn’t more technology—but less of it. Merijn van de Laar, a sleep scientist and self-proclaimed “recovering insomniac,” invites listeners to step back—way back—to the Paleolithic era, where our ancestors slept under stars, not stress.

This audiobook is part science, part anthropology, and part gentle rebellion against modern sleep myths. Van de Laar dismantles the tyranny of the eight-hour rule, critiques the overprescription of sleep meds, and urges us to embrace our natural rhythms—even if that means waking up at 3 a.m. and not panicking about it. His tone is warm, witty, and deeply humane, making complex research feel like a fireside chat rather than a lecture.

Joe Eyre’s narration is a perfect match. His voice is calm without being soporific, articulate without sounding clinical. He delivers van de Laar’s insights with a quiet confidence that feels more like a trusted guide than a guru. Whether he’s explaining the evolutionary logic behind segmented sleep or the psychological toll of chasing perfection, Eyre keeps the pace steady and the tone reassuring.

What makes this audiobook stand out is its blend of ancient wisdom and modern compassion. It doesn’t promise miracle cures—it offers perspective. And in a culture that treats sleep as a productivity tool, that’s radical.

For anyone tired of being tired—and tired of being told they’re doing it wrong—How to Sleep Like a Caveman is a thoughtful, evidence-based, and surprisingly comforting listen43dcd9a7-70db-4a1f-b0ae-981daa16205443dcd9a7-70db-4a1f-b0ae-981daa162054.

[Pauline Stout · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t read many self help type books but I’ve always had a number of issues when it comes to sleeping so when I saw the arc for this I decided to give it a go. I honestly didn’t think it would be that big of a help but I didn’t see how it could hurt and hey, maybe I can learn a couple of things.

This book is all about sleep, of course. It talks about what sleep is, why we sleep, how to create the ideal conditions for sleep to happen, and it talks about several sleep disorders at the end of the book.

I’m sure this has a lot of information in it that could help people. I just think this information is delivered in just about the worst way you could deliver it. The book is written by a sleep specialist and sleep therapist and you can tell. This is not a good thing. The information is given in a very scientific and stiff way and I had the worst time trying to focus on it. I read this via audiobook and I had to keep rewinding because I realized that the overflow or information and statistics was causing me to zone out and not realize what I was actually listening to. (I told this to several people I know and they all said the goal of the book may be to bore you to sleep when listening). I honestly doubt I’m going to remember a majority of what I listening to by the end of the week let alone long term.

Like I said I’m sure that there is some good advice in here and some people are going to take a lot out of this but I’m not one of these people. Maybe I have to listen to it again to fully absorb the contents? I don’t know. Overall I’m not sure I recommend this but I’m not mad I read it.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

by the title of the book I assumed we were going to learn how you could just pass out and sleep all night. but one of the things I found truly fascinating was what all relates back to the caveman or ancient Man that we have ended up bringing forward even though we live in a totally different life. I guess maybe with enough years of microevolution we maybe could weed some of that out. but the other thing I absolutely love about this book is everything is fact-based. so there's a study for everything that is talked about in this book. and he was very open pointing out if that study one way or the other was a very small study that only contained a small population or if it was a meta study or what was going on. I appreciate it that. but I definitely found some highly interesting things. I wanted to try out the sleep journal but I don't think I quite followed exactly what we were supposed to do to find out how much sleep my body required. I wanted to go and refer back to it so I was hoping to find a print edition or PDFs and there isn't such a thing. now this was a preview copy of the audio and so perhaps in the released audio there might be a PDF, and I'm sure there will be a print copy made available. definitely worth the read if you have any interest in sleep whether good or bad or just finding out about sleep.

[Chris Aylott · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is useful information to be found in this book, but not enough wisdom -- ancient or otherwise -- to justify the page count.

Van de Laar makes it clear that a lot of the existing advice on better sleep comes from oversimplified interpretations of small studies with methodological issues, and that is useful to know all by itself. What does seem to be true is that there is a lot of natural variation in how people sleep, that stress plays a big role in preventing sleep from being restful, and that stressing out about your poor sleep leads to a vicious cycle. The best route to better sleep looks to be relaxing, figuring out when your body naturally wants to sleep, and making lifestyle changes to accommodate that.

This is important information! But I don't think 200 pages were needed to communicate that, and while Van De Laar is a pleasant writer, his anecdotes and explanations are not engaging enough to carry the whole book. It's an okay book overall, but shorter would have been better.