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Think Less, Sleep More: From Panic & Perfectionism to Stress-Free Sleep
A smart and sometimes counterintuitive (who cares when you go to bed?) guide that will solve listeners’ sleep anxiety once and for all! This program is read by the author.
If there’s anything worse that not getting sleep, it’s lying awake with a scare-face staring at the ceiling worrying about it. Here’s Romiszewski’s—a sleep physiologist and founder of the UK’s Sleepyhead Clinics— “This book is your guide to liberating yourself from the endless cycle of sleep anxiety and obsession. By the end, you’ll have regained control – not through perfection, but by letting go of the need to constantly manage your sleep. Sleep will start working for you, not as something to fear or fix, but as your natural ally. And best of all, it will no longer dominate your thoughts.”
THINK LESS, SLEEP MORE is a sensible take on sleep with some counterintuitive twists to current accepted dogma, such as that we all need more sleep and that segmented sleep—aka waking up in the middle of the night—is a killer. It’s a health and wellness sigh-of-relief there are some readjustments to make, both mental and physical, but a key takeaway is that whatever you’re doing now is probably better than you think.
Among other counterintuitive insights, Romiszewski
—The importance of a consistent wake-time rather than a rigid bedtime
—How to trust your body’s natural sleep drive and rhythms
—That ‘bad’ nights neither ruin the next day, nor, necessarily, your health, and that variability is normal
—That sleep isn’t fragile—it’s adaptable, resilient, and smarter than any hack you could throw at it
—The myth of eight hours
—The power of light
For an audience who found Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep a bit daunting, Romiszewski’s is the sensible, seasoned, calming voice you want to think of a 3 a.m.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press Essentials
If there’s anything worse that not getting sleep, it’s lying awake with a scare-face staring at the ceiling worrying about it. Here’s Romiszewski’s—a sleep physiologist and founder of the UK’s Sleepyhead Clinics— “This book is your guide to liberating yourself from the endless cycle of sleep anxiety and obsession. By the end, you’ll have regained control – not through perfection, but by letting go of the need to constantly manage your sleep. Sleep will start working for you, not as something to fear or fix, but as your natural ally. And best of all, it will no longer dominate your thoughts.”
THINK LESS, SLEEP MORE is a sensible take on sleep with some counterintuitive twists to current accepted dogma, such as that we all need more sleep and that segmented sleep—aka waking up in the middle of the night—is a killer. It’s a health and wellness sigh-of-relief there are some readjustments to make, both mental and physical, but a key takeaway is that whatever you’re doing now is probably better than you think.
Among other counterintuitive insights, Romiszewski
—The importance of a consistent wake-time rather than a rigid bedtime
—How to trust your body’s natural sleep drive and rhythms
—That ‘bad’ nights neither ruin the next day, nor, necessarily, your health, and that variability is normal
—That sleep isn’t fragile—it’s adaptable, resilient, and smarter than any hack you could throw at it
—The myth of eight hours
—The power of light
For an audience who found Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep a bit daunting, Romiszewski’s is the sensible, seasoned, calming voice you want to think of a 3 a.m.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press Essentials
Audible Audio
Published July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 15, 2026
This book was so good that I only read the opening third of it. While that would sound counterintuitive in a novel, it's a testament to its quality as a self-help book that it sorted out my sleep issues more or less by the end of the opening chapter.
It's even arguable that the author sorted out my sleep issues before I picked up the book. I saw her on a documentary about sleep by Denise van Outen, and what she said on that about my particular issue, which is that I wake up in the middle of the night most nights and then struggle to get back to sleep, immediately made me less concerned about the issue. Being less concerned about the issue has, in turn, led to me finding it much easier to get back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night.
Intrigued by the immediate effect, I Googled the author and found this book. Some of what I've learned from it and the documentary has been significant to the point of life-changing (or at least, sleep-changing). To have a sleep specialist make statements such as "thirty minutes of good sleep are better than four hours of bad sleep" is truly liberating. I received some liberation of a sort several years ago when I first discovered that it was considered the norm in the Middle Ages to sleep in two shifts with an hour of wakefulness in the middle. Even more liberating was to learn two things from the author about the nature of the second sleep: first, it is normal for it to comprise a lighter form of sleep than the first sleep; and second, that studies have shown that during periods of lighter sleep people often believe that they are awake. Perhaps more to the point, different types of sleep have different functions, and those functions are fulfilled as well by sleeping deeply for three hours and then lightly for another three, possibly so lightly that one believes oneself to be awake for a lot of it, as they are by the classic 'eight hours of unbroken sleep' (which turns out to be a myth).
There is an unintended consequence of this book. For the last decade or so I've done a significant amount of my reading when I wake up in the middle of the night - one of the major benefits of having a backlit Kindle. Since I watched the documentary, my nighttime reading has become drastically reduced because I'm finding it so easy to fall back asleep. A book so good that I didn't finish it and that it's reduced the amount I read. Go figure.
It's even arguable that the author sorted out my sleep issues before I picked up the book. I saw her on a documentary about sleep by Denise van Outen, and what she said on that about my particular issue, which is that I wake up in the middle of the night most nights and then struggle to get back to sleep, immediately made me less concerned about the issue. Being less concerned about the issue has, in turn, led to me finding it much easier to get back to sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night.
Intrigued by the immediate effect, I Googled the author and found this book. Some of what I've learned from it and the documentary has been significant to the point of life-changing (or at least, sleep-changing). To have a sleep specialist make statements such as "thirty minutes of good sleep are better than four hours of bad sleep" is truly liberating. I received some liberation of a sort several years ago when I first discovered that it was considered the norm in the Middle Ages to sleep in two shifts with an hour of wakefulness in the middle. Even more liberating was to learn two things from the author about the nature of the second sleep: first, it is normal for it to comprise a lighter form of sleep than the first sleep; and second, that studies have shown that during periods of lighter sleep people often believe that they are awake. Perhaps more to the point, different types of sleep have different functions, and those functions are fulfilled as well by sleeping deeply for three hours and then lightly for another three, possibly so lightly that one believes oneself to be awake for a lot of it, as they are by the classic 'eight hours of unbroken sleep' (which turns out to be a myth).
There is an unintended consequence of this book. For the last decade or so I've done a significant amount of my reading when I wake up in the middle of the night - one of the major benefits of having a backlit Kindle. Since I watched the documentary, my nighttime reading has become drastically reduced because I'm finding it so easy to fall back asleep. A book so good that I didn't finish it and that it's reduced the amount I read. Go figure.
July 16, 2026
accessible and reassuring, writing style did grate (sounds very much like ChatGPT in parts?? so many sentences with ‘it’s not…., it’s ….’.) But content pretty helpful
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
has some good tidbits and good about mental health thinking.
July 5, 2026
An interesting read. I’ve always had a strained relationship with sleep, only made more challenging by shift work. The book had some really curious takes about how to remedy sleep issues and had suggestions I’d never heard before.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC from NetGalley
Book Publishing July 7, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy of “Think Less, Sleep More: From Panic & Perfectionism to Stress-Free Sleep” in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This book offered some insightful and helpful tips to revolutionize how we approach and think about sleep. I will be thinking about the key takeaways from this book for a while and how they can improve my sleep quality. The main points I got from this book include:
* The more you stress about sleep, the more it will elude you.
* Aside from chronic sleep disorders, accept rough nights as a part of life, don’t ruminate on them, and move on.
* Sleep is just one piece of our overall health.
* Wake up at the same time every day. Sleeping in is counterproductive to improving sleep quality.
* If you want to improve sleep quality, focus on your morning routine rather than your evening routine.
Although the points were helpful to consider, the book felt really repetitive. Occasionally, I had to make sure my audio didn’t skip back because the author would repeat a phrase she had said recently. While the points were helpful, I didn’t need them repeated so many times in different ways.
I appreciated the appendix highlighting chronic sleep disorders that would benefit from additional medical treatment, rather than just the tips listed in this book.
Overall, this book was interesting and helpful, but I think it could have been considerably shorter since the same ideas were repeated in every chapter.
Book Publishing July 7, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy of “Think Less, Sleep More: From Panic & Perfectionism to Stress-Free Sleep” in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This book offered some insightful and helpful tips to revolutionize how we approach and think about sleep. I will be thinking about the key takeaways from this book for a while and how they can improve my sleep quality. The main points I got from this book include:
* The more you stress about sleep, the more it will elude you.
* Aside from chronic sleep disorders, accept rough nights as a part of life, don’t ruminate on them, and move on.
* Sleep is just one piece of our overall health.
* Wake up at the same time every day. Sleeping in is counterproductive to improving sleep quality.
* If you want to improve sleep quality, focus on your morning routine rather than your evening routine.
Although the points were helpful to consider, the book felt really repetitive. Occasionally, I had to make sure my audio didn’t skip back because the author would repeat a phrase she had said recently. While the points were helpful, I didn’t need them repeated so many times in different ways.
I appreciated the appendix highlighting chronic sleep disorders that would benefit from additional medical treatment, rather than just the tips listed in this book.
Overall, this book was interesting and helpful, but I think it could have been considerably shorter since the same ideas were repeated in every chapter.
Read
June 12, 2026ALC for educators from Libro.fm
I actually found this book to be very insightful. It took a very different approach to the sleep recommendations I’m used to and actually spoke down on “sleep hygiene.” The biggest focus is on taking the focus away from bad sleep, reframing and removing the anxiety around it.
The biggest behavior change recommendation was to keep a consistent wake time, regardless of other factors. That’s something I will continue to struggle with as I get up at 4am for work half of the week and I’m not going to get up at 4am on the other days, so if that’s my only option, poorer quality sleep is what I’m destined for.
Another big takeaway from this book is that unless there is an actual disorder to be diagnosed, we should trust that our body knows what it’s doing. That even though our devices tell us our sleep is bad, it actually might not be, and if it is, our body knows how to get back on track.
I actually would recommend this book, solely because it’s really made me reconsider my thinking toward sleep and really surprised me with a nuanced analysis that I haven’t heard before.
I actually found this book to be very insightful. It took a very different approach to the sleep recommendations I’m used to and actually spoke down on “sleep hygiene.” The biggest focus is on taking the focus away from bad sleep, reframing and removing the anxiety around it.
The biggest behavior change recommendation was to keep a consistent wake time, regardless of other factors. That’s something I will continue to struggle with as I get up at 4am for work half of the week and I’m not going to get up at 4am on the other days, so if that’s my only option, poorer quality sleep is what I’m destined for.
Another big takeaway from this book is that unless there is an actual disorder to be diagnosed, we should trust that our body knows what it’s doing. That even though our devices tell us our sleep is bad, it actually might not be, and if it is, our body knows how to get back on track.
I actually would recommend this book, solely because it’s really made me reconsider my thinking toward sleep and really surprised me with a nuanced analysis that I haven’t heard before.
April 30, 2026
Nu există cât îi de faină cartea asta! Efectiv a dat de pământ cu TOT ce știam despre somn!
2 dintre cele mai puternice idei:
📖 Corpul nostru este deja un “expert în somn” și nu are nevoie de ajutorul nostru. Când acumulăm o datorie de somn, corpul nostru nu compensează neapărat crescând durata totală a somnului. În schimb, realocă timpul petrecut în anumite stadii de somn pentru a acorda prioritate fazelor lipsă.
📖 Obiceiurile noastre matinale, în special orele constante de trezire și expunerea la lumină, au un impact mult mai mare decât orice rutină de seară.
Nu există urmă de îndoială, toate stelele din lume la “Gândește mai puțin, dormi mai mult” se duc 💫 Este nonficțiunea anului pentru mine 📖🤍
2 dintre cele mai puternice idei:
📖 Corpul nostru este deja un “expert în somn” și nu are nevoie de ajutorul nostru. Când acumulăm o datorie de somn, corpul nostru nu compensează neapărat crescând durata totală a somnului. În schimb, realocă timpul petrecut în anumite stadii de somn pentru a acorda prioritate fazelor lipsă.
📖 Obiceiurile noastre matinale, în special orele constante de trezire și expunerea la lumină, au un impact mult mai mare decât orice rutină de seară.
Nu există urmă de îndoială, toate stelele din lume la “Gândește mai puțin, dormi mai mult” se duc 💫 Este nonficțiunea anului pentru mine 📖🤍
May 18, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley and MacMillian Audio for the ALC of this title. This book had so much great information that just makes so much sense. I can’t wait to use the tricks that the author has given us in this book. There is a very interesting chapter on sleep trackers. That really made me think! Great book!
January 19, 2026
A fab book, packed full of evidence-based insights and practical guidance. All delivered with a huge amount of compassion and warmth. I’ve learned so much about sleep, and it has eased a niggle that had potential to grow into one of those pesky sleep gremlins that Steph mentions in the book.
May 25, 2026
The book is repetitive and could be written in a more concise manner. Basically, it conveys the message that sleep isn’t as difficult and as important as we might think. I find the stuff in the appendix useful if you are curious about the different sleep conditions out there.
Read
August 17, 2026(Note to self - I need to show this to R - I think they do have 'circadian rhythm disorder' and would likely benefit from the advice here, or at least knowing a term to bring to the doctors.)
---
So far (after prologue, intro, and first section) so comforting. Most sleep is fine, even normal, so long as we don't fight what our body wants in pursuit of numbers, or of perfection. Part two is promised to be advice on how to make it easier to set ourselves up for restful sleep. Because the true measure is not how many hours, much less how many stages in each cycle, but how rested we are the next day.
"The best thing you can do for short-term sleep disruptions is absolutely nothing."
"If something so natural and essential can function across all kinds of lives and situations, From astronauts to artists, then surely it does not need to be micromanaged, feared or controlled into submission."
Sleep inertia is a thing. It's perfectly normal to feel groggy at the beginning of the day if you woke up in the middle of a deeper stage of sleep for example. Again we're promised in part two That will get advice to get help communicating with our body to wake up during lighter sleep by finding our own rhythms. (Not sure I'm saying it exactly right. But, yeah, just the term 'sleep inertia' is, imo, helpful.)
"If you've been physically exhausted or recovering from illness, your body will increase the percentage of deep sleep - even if your total sleep time stays the same. If you've been emotionally drained, stressed or mentally overworked, your body will increase R.E.M. sleep, Even condensing deep sleep slightly to make room for it...." Trust your body.
One of the author's patients reported: "Turns out I might not be a night owl. I was just inconsistent." (He woke up early for work, but had lie-ins and late nights on the weekends to try to capture what he thought he was missing on workdays.)
"People with insomnia... often sleep much more than they think they do - but because they are aware of light sleep they perceive that they haven't slept at all during this stage."
"The more broken your sleep gets, the more sensitive you become to that original trigger and other, more benign ones."
"Spending too much time in bed can actually lead to 'sleep fragmentation' - short, interrupted sleep cycles that leave us feeling unrefreshed."
"It doesn't mean I never have bad nights. It means I've taught my body when it's time to be awake. And that consistency? It actually strengthens my sleep from the ground up."
Not a perfect book. For example, more for active young people like her than geriatric patients who refuse to use an alarm. And she warns us off magnesium unless we've been diagnosed with a deficiency, but doesn't specify which kind, or what to do if we're taking it for other reasons (talk to doctor is, of course, best advice). No index. Plenty doesn't apply to me at all so I am skimming some, and skipping other, portions.
---
Okay done.
(Btw, I read this in order to see if I could advise two of my loved ones. And I do have better advice for them after reading it than before... now, if I could get them to make the effort....)
And I've told you a lot in this review. Maybe more than I should have, sorry. But honestly, if you're interested, there's so much more you can benefit from if you read the whole thing yourself instead of relying on my highlights! Highly recommended, honestly.
---
So far (after prologue, intro, and first section) so comforting. Most sleep is fine, even normal, so long as we don't fight what our body wants in pursuit of numbers, or of perfection. Part two is promised to be advice on how to make it easier to set ourselves up for restful sleep. Because the true measure is not how many hours, much less how many stages in each cycle, but how rested we are the next day.
"The best thing you can do for short-term sleep disruptions is absolutely nothing."
"If something so natural and essential can function across all kinds of lives and situations, From astronauts to artists, then surely it does not need to be micromanaged, feared or controlled into submission."
Sleep inertia is a thing. It's perfectly normal to feel groggy at the beginning of the day if you woke up in the middle of a deeper stage of sleep for example. Again we're promised in part two That will get advice to get help communicating with our body to wake up during lighter sleep by finding our own rhythms. (Not sure I'm saying it exactly right. But, yeah, just the term 'sleep inertia' is, imo, helpful.)
"If you've been physically exhausted or recovering from illness, your body will increase the percentage of deep sleep - even if your total sleep time stays the same. If you've been emotionally drained, stressed or mentally overworked, your body will increase R.E.M. sleep, Even condensing deep sleep slightly to make room for it...." Trust your body.
One of the author's patients reported: "Turns out I might not be a night owl. I was just inconsistent." (He woke up early for work, but had lie-ins and late nights on the weekends to try to capture what he thought he was missing on workdays.)
"People with insomnia... often sleep much more than they think they do - but because they are aware of light sleep they perceive that they haven't slept at all during this stage."
"The more broken your sleep gets, the more sensitive you become to that original trigger and other, more benign ones."
"Spending too much time in bed can actually lead to 'sleep fragmentation' - short, interrupted sleep cycles that leave us feeling unrefreshed."
"It doesn't mean I never have bad nights. It means I've taught my body when it's time to be awake. And that consistency? It actually strengthens my sleep from the ground up."
Not a perfect book. For example, more for active young people like her than geriatric patients who refuse to use an alarm. And she warns us off magnesium unless we've been diagnosed with a deficiency, but doesn't specify which kind, or what to do if we're taking it for other reasons (talk to doctor is, of course, best advice). No index. Plenty doesn't apply to me at all so I am skimming some, and skipping other, portions.
---
Okay done.
(Btw, I read this in order to see if I could advise two of my loved ones. And I do have better advice for them after reading it than before... now, if I could get them to make the effort....)
And I've told you a lot in this review. Maybe more than I should have, sorry. But honestly, if you're interested, there's so much more you can benefit from if you read the whole thing yourself instead of relying on my highlights! Highly recommended, honestly.
Read
July 29, 2026I feel weird rating this one numerically as it’s a nonfiction book that’s also semi self help-ish, but here are some notes for my future self lol.. TLDR:
- it’s not when you go to sleep that matters, but when you wake up (and if you consistently do it at the same time daily)
- worrying about how long it’s taking you to fall asleep or how well your fitness watch tells you that you slept will actually negatively impact your sleep and your day WAY more than just a not great night’s sleep would
- rather than worrying, have low stimulation options for when you can’t sleep but want to wind down.
- sleep products are largely a scam, particularly if they don’t actually affect your circadian rhythms directly. BUT there’s nothing wrong with enjoying or using something that helps you relax, you just don’t want to become psychologically dependent on using it for you to be able to sleep at all.
- within 30-60 min of waking up, get natural light + MOVE
- eat your meals at consistent times daily. This + light exposure inform your body’s clock way more than the actual time!!
- consistency > striving for perfection
- you cannot bank sleep or catch up on sleep missed. If you sleep not enough one night, your body naturally adjusts your sleep to help you get the most important parts of your sleep cycle in anyway.
- BUT oversleeping, staying in bed longer on the weekends, taking naps, etc all negatively impact how solid your ‘sleep base’ is, aka how well your body will weather future sleep disruption or issues
Thank you to SMP Essentials for the gifted copy of this one! All opinions are my own.
- it’s not when you go to sleep that matters, but when you wake up (and if you consistently do it at the same time daily)
- worrying about how long it’s taking you to fall asleep or how well your fitness watch tells you that you slept will actually negatively impact your sleep and your day WAY more than just a not great night’s sleep would
- rather than worrying, have low stimulation options for when you can’t sleep but want to wind down.
- sleep products are largely a scam, particularly if they don’t actually affect your circadian rhythms directly. BUT there’s nothing wrong with enjoying or using something that helps you relax, you just don’t want to become psychologically dependent on using it for you to be able to sleep at all.
- within 30-60 min of waking up, get natural light + MOVE
- eat your meals at consistent times daily. This + light exposure inform your body’s clock way more than the actual time!!
- consistency > striving for perfection
- you cannot bank sleep or catch up on sleep missed. If you sleep not enough one night, your body naturally adjusts your sleep to help you get the most important parts of your sleep cycle in anyway.
- BUT oversleeping, staying in bed longer on the weekends, taking naps, etc all negatively impact how solid your ‘sleep base’ is, aka how well your body will weather future sleep disruption or issues
Thank you to SMP Essentials for the gifted copy of this one! All opinions are my own.
August 2, 2026
This gave me some good ideas on my sleep habits. I like the idea that the mornings are more important. I tend to have the nighttime gremlins messing with me so removing some of that pressure that I feel at bedtime when I want to get a certain number of hours of sleep will help.
Our bodies are built to move with the sun and with our tech we just don’t anymore. This book offers stories, studies and tips on how to improve your sleep.
This is a great book for those struggling with sleep, overthinkers, anxious sleepers and those that need a reset.
Our bodies are built to move with the sun and with our tech we just don’t anymore. This book offers stories, studies and tips on how to improve your sleep.
This is a great book for those struggling with sleep, overthinkers, anxious sleepers and those that need a reset.
July 20, 2026
Refreshing and really well written
July 17, 2026
Sleep is adaptable. It’s been adjusting to our environments, our stress levels, our exhaustion levels and our needs since the very beginning—long before we had artificial light, alarm clocks and an obsession with getting right perfect hours.
July 7, 2026
I resisted reading this book. If you have sleep issues, you shouldn’t! Read my full review here.
Publication day is July 7.
#NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #ThinkLessSleepMore
Publication day is July 7.
#NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #ThinkLessSleepMore
June 28, 2026
Excellent book! I'm so grateful I found this gem. Unlike what the media, the market and even one of my health practitioners is telling me, I don't actually need to stress about creating and maintaining lengthy, rigid, complex pre-sleep rituals for optimal health.
In this future bestseller, Stephanie Romiszewski explains why anxiety around sleep is far more harmful than good. She gives a realistic approach to improve sleep habits that feel reasonable, doable and promising. Hint: she tells you how to stop focusing as much on night and start building good morning habits. She also includes descriptions of honest-to-goodness sleep disorders for those few of us who really do have a medical problem.
And bonus: Romiszewski narrates the audio version herself in her gorgeous Australian accent.
I've already recommended this book to several friends and have pre-ordered my own hard copy so I can continue to refer to this book.
My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. This one feels like a game-changer to me!
In this future bestseller, Stephanie Romiszewski explains why anxiety around sleep is far more harmful than good. She gives a realistic approach to improve sleep habits that feel reasonable, doable and promising. Hint: she tells you how to stop focusing as much on night and start building good morning habits. She also includes descriptions of honest-to-goodness sleep disorders for those few of us who really do have a medical problem.
And bonus: Romiszewski narrates the audio version herself in her gorgeous Australian accent.
I've already recommended this book to several friends and have pre-ordered my own hard copy so I can continue to refer to this book.
My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. This one feels like a game-changer to me!
June 25, 2026
Pub: 7/7/2026
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
I really enjoyed this audiobook! it was very informative and I learned a lot about sleep. actually, it made me realize maybe I’m not as crazy as I thought I was when it came to my sleep!
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
I really enjoyed this audiobook! it was very informative and I learned a lot about sleep. actually, it made me realize maybe I’m not as crazy as I thought I was when it came to my sleep!
June 8, 2026
Honestly the best “self help” book I’ve ever read, mostly because at its core it was just about trusting that your body knows what it’s doing when it comes to sleep, and most of us need to let go of the control we try to have over it. I feel like this genuinely made let go of irrational sleep worries I had that I didn’t even know were irrational, because some of the core beliefs most of us have about sleep these days aren’t actually accurate !
March 3, 2026
Think Less, Sleep More by Stephanie Romiszewski
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The title immediately grabbed my attention because my sleep has not been the same since having a baby 🥲 I used to sleep through anything — now the tiniest sound wakes me up.
This book was eye-opening, practical, and full of tools I’ll genuinely be applying to my life. It completely shifted how I think about sleep.
Some key takeaways for me:
🌅 Wake up at the same time every day
🌿 Get outside and move your body
🛏️ Sleep is subjective — it’s not a perfect science
Such a helpful and reassuring read.
Perfect for:
😴 Tired moms
🧠 Overthinkers at bedtime
🌙 Anyone struggling with inconsistent sleep
📅 Releasing July 7
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The title immediately grabbed my attention because my sleep has not been the same since having a baby 🥲 I used to sleep through anything — now the tiniest sound wakes me up.
This book was eye-opening, practical, and full of tools I’ll genuinely be applying to my life. It completely shifted how I think about sleep.
Some key takeaways for me:
🌅 Wake up at the same time every day
🌿 Get outside and move your body
🛏️ Sleep is subjective — it’s not a perfect science
Such a helpful and reassuring read.
Perfect for:
😴 Tired moms
🧠 Overthinkers at bedtime
🌙 Anyone struggling with inconsistent sleep
📅 Releasing July 7
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍✨
May 27, 2026
I appreciated this author’s approach and education regarding sleep issues. She shares a lot of information I had never heard before and helped ease much of my anxiety surrounding my own sleep struggles. If you struggle with sleep, this book is a great resource!
Review of advance copy
Book is good. Could be more concise, but I get that the author is trying to repeatedly hammer the important points, so I'm not that against it. Dispels popular sleep hacks and explains the foundation for good sleep. Hopefully will help me sleep👍 would give It 4.5 if that was an option.
March 25, 2026
3.5
Had some helpful advice but was quite repetitive. I felt like 80% of each chapter just repeated what the previous chapter stated. However, it was really informative and interesting to learn the different types of sleep cycles.
Had some helpful advice but was quite repetitive. I felt like 80% of each chapter just repeated what the previous chapter stated. However, it was really informative and interesting to learn the different types of sleep cycles.
Read
March 18, 2026This is a very informative and helpful book for anyone who is struggling with sleep issues.
July 16, 2026
I While I don't typically read self-help books, I found this one genuinely interesting.
Sleep wasn't an issue until I got older. I worked at a hospital in Sweden for 15 years on a grueling rotating schedule—one day from 1 pm to 9:30 pm, the next from 6:45 am to 4:30 pm. With a 20-mile commute that took 30 to 40 minutes each way, I rarely made it home before 10 pm on my late shifts.
Where I lived, snow and ice were fixtures for eight months of the year. On a typical night, I'd wake at 5 am and head to work an hour later, managing roughly six hours of sleep—often less during winter.
What surprised me most was that despite this chronic sleep deprivation, I rarely felt exhausted.
A few years later, I transitioned to night shifts. We worked ten-hour shifts from 9 pm to 7 am. Before my first night shift, I woke at 8 am and slept for a couple of hours before getting ready for work. Some of my coworkers didn't sleep at all before their first night shift.
The next morning, I was typically in bed by 8 am and slept until 2 pm. After being awake for a few hours, I returned to bed at 4 pm and got up at 6 pm to prepare for work. I found this schedule more effective than attempting to sleep straight through until 6 pm.
On my final night shift, I slept until 2 pm, then stayed awake until going to bed around 9 or 10 pm.
I didn't have much difficulty adjusting my sleep schedule.
After six years of working nights, I returned to a traditional day schedule. Sometimes I worked extra night shifts on weekends before switching back to days.
However, after those years of night work, I developed one issue: if I didn't go to bed early, my body would shift into night mode, and I could stay awake all night.
Years later, when my husband started working nights, I began staying up late again. Since I owned my own business, I could work until 2 a.m., then call my husband before I went to bed. I'd wake up at 9 a.m.
When I became ill and tried to return to a normal sleep schedule, I struggled. Looking back, I shouldn't have expected to sleep between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. after years of doing something completely different.
The breakthrough came a few years later when I started reading in bed for a few hours, then switched to an audiobook. My sleep improved dramatically. These days, I typically go to bed around 7 or 8 p.m. and read until I'm tired—sometimes just a few minutes. If the book is engaging, I might read until midnight. On nights when I wake at 1 a.m. and can't fall back asleep, I read or do puzzles. I get up at 8 am when my alarm goes off. Most mornings I'm awake before 8.
Because of chronic back pain from an old car accident, I sometimes use my heating pad and audiobook in my recliner, which helps.
For years, I struggled to sleep as I wanted. Now I don't worry about it, and I sleep well most nights.
As the saying goes, the more we worry, the worse we sleep.
I'm grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Essentials for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review. 4.5 stars.
Sleep wasn't an issue until I got older. I worked at a hospital in Sweden for 15 years on a grueling rotating schedule—one day from 1 pm to 9:30 pm, the next from 6:45 am to 4:30 pm. With a 20-mile commute that took 30 to 40 minutes each way, I rarely made it home before 10 pm on my late shifts.
Where I lived, snow and ice were fixtures for eight months of the year. On a typical night, I'd wake at 5 am and head to work an hour later, managing roughly six hours of sleep—often less during winter.
What surprised me most was that despite this chronic sleep deprivation, I rarely felt exhausted.
A few years later, I transitioned to night shifts. We worked ten-hour shifts from 9 pm to 7 am. Before my first night shift, I woke at 8 am and slept for a couple of hours before getting ready for work. Some of my coworkers didn't sleep at all before their first night shift.
The next morning, I was typically in bed by 8 am and slept until 2 pm. After being awake for a few hours, I returned to bed at 4 pm and got up at 6 pm to prepare for work. I found this schedule more effective than attempting to sleep straight through until 6 pm.
On my final night shift, I slept until 2 pm, then stayed awake until going to bed around 9 or 10 pm.
I didn't have much difficulty adjusting my sleep schedule.
After six years of working nights, I returned to a traditional day schedule. Sometimes I worked extra night shifts on weekends before switching back to days.
However, after those years of night work, I developed one issue: if I didn't go to bed early, my body would shift into night mode, and I could stay awake all night.
Years later, when my husband started working nights, I began staying up late again. Since I owned my own business, I could work until 2 a.m., then call my husband before I went to bed. I'd wake up at 9 a.m.
When I became ill and tried to return to a normal sleep schedule, I struggled. Looking back, I shouldn't have expected to sleep between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. after years of doing something completely different.
The breakthrough came a few years later when I started reading in bed for a few hours, then switched to an audiobook. My sleep improved dramatically. These days, I typically go to bed around 7 or 8 p.m. and read until I'm tired—sometimes just a few minutes. If the book is engaging, I might read until midnight. On nights when I wake at 1 a.m. and can't fall back asleep, I read or do puzzles. I get up at 8 am when my alarm goes off. Most mornings I'm awake before 8.
Because of chronic back pain from an old car accident, I sometimes use my heating pad and audiobook in my recliner, which helps.
For years, I struggled to sleep as I wanted. Now I don't worry about it, and I sleep well most nights.
As the saying goes, the more we worry, the worse we sleep.
I'm grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Essentials for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review. 4.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for an ALC of this book!
Ironically, I stayed up late reading this.
As soon as I saw a blurb saying this is for anyone who didn't get on with "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker PhD, so I was immediately intrigued!
I read 86% of "Why We Sleep" and that had me feeling like I was already so far behind on sleep, because sleep debt can never be recovered, that I was doomed to get Alzheimer's and die (not even being dramatic this one time). I always intended to finish that last 14% of the book, but the pull to open it just never came.
💡"Think Less, Sleep More"💤 immediately started off on a completely different note of ✨'progress not perfection'✨
Stephanie Romiszewski pointed out how the body naturally adopts to meet its own sleep requirements following a night of bad sleep. You automatically adjust the length of time in certain sleep phases as your brain requires. Obviously, there are still limitations to this, but it's nice to know that we recover from a bad night better than I had imagined.
As someone with numerous sleep issues, who has seen a specialized sleep doctor and a sleep psychiatrist, I knew a lot of this information, but still got a lot of value out of the "why" behind the common sleep hygiene recommendations. As someone who hates doing anything without the reasoning behind it that was really helpful.
I still learned a lot of new information from this though, for instance I never knew that delayed sleep phase disorder is a rare genetic condition...and I've been diagnosed with it by a sleep specialist!
It was really helpful to have the section on sleep tools and supplements and how little impact they actually have on improving your sleep, combating the ever present recommendation of "just take some melatonin".
Romiszewski ever so kindly breaks down the scientific efficacy of taking melatonin by the average person and puts it into layman's terms:
"...studies show melatonin has minimal impact. A meta-analysis showed that melatonin improved sleep onset by an average of seven minutes."
The ultimate takeaway:
"Strengthening your circadian rhythm and sleep drive through a consistent get up time, light exposure, and aligning sleep patterns has the greatest influence on sleep quality, duration and timing, and consistent sleep overall."
It's all of the things I dislike doing, but Romiszewski explained how they benefit you and was positive and encourages you to try making changes and see how your sleep improves. Her insistence that perfection is impossible and we just need our sleep to be "good enough" reduces so much pressure around sleep, which coincidentally, also helps to improve your sleep.
Ironically, I stayed up late reading this.
As soon as I saw a blurb saying this is for anyone who didn't get on with "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker PhD, so I was immediately intrigued!
I read 86% of "Why We Sleep" and that had me feeling like I was already so far behind on sleep, because sleep debt can never be recovered, that I was doomed to get Alzheimer's and die (not even being dramatic this one time). I always intended to finish that last 14% of the book, but the pull to open it just never came.
💡"Think Less, Sleep More"💤 immediately started off on a completely different note of ✨'progress not perfection'✨
Stephanie Romiszewski pointed out how the body naturally adopts to meet its own sleep requirements following a night of bad sleep. You automatically adjust the length of time in certain sleep phases as your brain requires. Obviously, there are still limitations to this, but it's nice to know that we recover from a bad night better than I had imagined.
As someone with numerous sleep issues, who has seen a specialized sleep doctor and a sleep psychiatrist, I knew a lot of this information, but still got a lot of value out of the "why" behind the common sleep hygiene recommendations. As someone who hates doing anything without the reasoning behind it that was really helpful.
I still learned a lot of new information from this though, for instance I never knew that delayed sleep phase disorder is a rare genetic condition...and I've been diagnosed with it by a sleep specialist!
It was really helpful to have the section on sleep tools and supplements and how little impact they actually have on improving your sleep, combating the ever present recommendation of "just take some melatonin".
Romiszewski ever so kindly breaks down the scientific efficacy of taking melatonin by the average person and puts it into layman's terms:
"...studies show melatonin has minimal impact. A meta-analysis showed that melatonin improved sleep onset by an average of seven minutes."
The ultimate takeaway:
"Strengthening your circadian rhythm and sleep drive through a consistent get up time, light exposure, and aligning sleep patterns has the greatest influence on sleep quality, duration and timing, and consistent sleep overall."
It's all of the things I dislike doing, but Romiszewski explained how they benefit you and was positive and encourages you to try making changes and see how your sleep improves. Her insistence that perfection is impossible and we just need our sleep to be "good enough" reduces so much pressure around sleep, which coincidentally, also helps to improve your sleep.
August 5, 2026
Years ago, I heard a talk show segment about sleep. The message was clear: if you don’t get “enough” sleep—usually eight hours—it can hurt your health and lead to serious problems. That idea really stuck with me. If I wasn’t worried about my sleep before, I became anxious after that.
This is why Romiszewski’s book pulled me in so quickly. By page four, she put words to the fear I’d been carrying: “We are constantly warned that sleeping fewer than six hours is a death sentence, that bad sleep is shaving years off our lives or that our future health is doomed if we don’t hit the perfect sleep scores.”
I remember thinking, yes—finally. Maybe this book would talk about sleep in a different way.
And it did.
Romiszewski gently walks through many of the routines and tools people try at night: herbal tea, lavender spray, sleep medication, and smartwatches that track and score your sleep. I’ve tried some of those myself. A few helped a little, but the worry about going to bed never really left. It wasn’t unusual for me to still be awake at 4 a.m.
If you struggle with sleep anxiety, this is not a book to overlook. But if you’re hoping for an easy fix—a “magic pill” kind of answer—you may be disappointed. Her suggestions ask for trust, and they take some effort.
Note: Some non-sleepers have legitimate concerns. Don’t hesitate to talk to your medical advisor.
One concern I had: at times, the book felt a bit repetitive. Even so, I kept reading quickly, sure that near the end she would reveal the secret solution I’d been waiting for.
What a disappointment. No pills. No sprays. Instead, she offers ideas that require trust—and a willingness to open yourself to new ways of thinking. And in the end, those ideas made complete sense.
Thank you, @stmartinessentials, for my gifted copy.
This is why Romiszewski’s book pulled me in so quickly. By page four, she put words to the fear I’d been carrying: “We are constantly warned that sleeping fewer than six hours is a death sentence, that bad sleep is shaving years off our lives or that our future health is doomed if we don’t hit the perfect sleep scores.”
I remember thinking, yes—finally. Maybe this book would talk about sleep in a different way.
And it did.
Romiszewski gently walks through many of the routines and tools people try at night: herbal tea, lavender spray, sleep medication, and smartwatches that track and score your sleep. I’ve tried some of those myself. A few helped a little, but the worry about going to bed never really left. It wasn’t unusual for me to still be awake at 4 a.m.
If you struggle with sleep anxiety, this is not a book to overlook. But if you’re hoping for an easy fix—a “magic pill” kind of answer—you may be disappointed. Her suggestions ask for trust, and they take some effort.
Note: Some non-sleepers have legitimate concerns. Don’t hesitate to talk to your medical advisor.
One concern I had: at times, the book felt a bit repetitive. Even so, I kept reading quickly, sure that near the end she would reveal the secret solution I’d been waiting for.
What a disappointment. No pills. No sprays. Instead, she offers ideas that require trust—and a willingness to open yourself to new ways of thinking. And in the end, those ideas made complete sense.
Thank you, @stmartinessentials, for my gifted copy.
July 20, 2026
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 stars
Thank you @stmartinsessentials @stmartinspress for the free book 💖.
If you’ve been here a while, you know I’ve struggled with sleep for over 20 years, and it’s gotten much worse in the last five. These days, instead of lying awake frustrated, I read—which has actually helped ease some of the anxiety around not sleeping.
As soon as I saw this book was coming out, I knew I wanted to read it, and I’m so glad I did. It introduced me to ideas about sleep that I’d never heard before, even after talking with so many doctors over the years. One of the biggest takeaways was that, just like nutrition, sleep isn’t nearly as black and white as we’ve been led to believe.
The part that completely blew my mind was learning that in medieval Europe, it was normal to sleep in two phases—a “first sleep,” followed by a period of wakefulness before going back for a “second sleep.” I had never heard that before. So much information in this book really made me think about how industrialization, artificial light, and rigid schedules changed not only the way we sleep, but also the expectations we place on ourselves.
The book also talks about how our obsession with getting a “perfect” eight hours may actually be fueling more sleep anxiety. Instead of seeing sleep as a natural, adaptable process, we’ve turned it into something else to optimize.
I’m definitely planning to listen to the audiobook too, so I can revisit everything one more time, and start trying some of the ideas. If you struggle with sleep like I do, I definitely recommend this one. It was easy to read, incredibly interesting, and gave me a completely different perspective on sleep.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you @stmartinsessentials @stmartinspress for the free book 💖.
If you’ve been here a while, you know I’ve struggled with sleep for over 20 years, and it’s gotten much worse in the last five. These days, instead of lying awake frustrated, I read—which has actually helped ease some of the anxiety around not sleeping.
As soon as I saw this book was coming out, I knew I wanted to read it, and I’m so glad I did. It introduced me to ideas about sleep that I’d never heard before, even after talking with so many doctors over the years. One of the biggest takeaways was that, just like nutrition, sleep isn’t nearly as black and white as we’ve been led to believe.
The part that completely blew my mind was learning that in medieval Europe, it was normal to sleep in two phases—a “first sleep,” followed by a period of wakefulness before going back for a “second sleep.” I had never heard that before. So much information in this book really made me think about how industrialization, artificial light, and rigid schedules changed not only the way we sleep, but also the expectations we place on ourselves.
The book also talks about how our obsession with getting a “perfect” eight hours may actually be fueling more sleep anxiety. Instead of seeing sleep as a natural, adaptable process, we’ve turned it into something else to optimize.
I’m definitely planning to listen to the audiobook too, so I can revisit everything one more time, and start trying some of the ideas. If you struggle with sleep like I do, I definitely recommend this one. It was easy to read, incredibly interesting, and gave me a completely different perspective on sleep.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
July 20, 2026
This was such an interesting and practical read about improving your relationship with sleep. 😴📚 Rather than focusing on quick fixes, the author encourages a complete mindset shift around how we think about sleep and what actually contributes to better rest.
There were quite a few takeaways that really stuck with me, including:
💤 The more we stress about sleep, the harder it becomes to fall asleep.
💤 Accept that the occasional rough night is a normal part of life instead of dwelling on it.
💤 Sleep is just one piece of our overall health.
💤 Waking up at the same time every day is more beneficial than sleeping in.
💤 If you want to improve your sleep, focus on building a better morning routine—not just your nighttime routine.
While I found the advice genuinely helpful, I did feel the book became quite repetitive. The same concepts were revisited throughout multiple chapters, and at times I found myself wondering if my audiobook had accidentally skipped backward. 😅 I think the message would have been just as impactful in a much shorter format.
One section I especially appreciated was the appendix discussing chronic sleep disorders and when it's important to seek medical advice. 💙 I thought it was refreshing that the author acknowledged that lifestyle changes alone aren't the answer for everyone.
Overall, I found this to be an insightful read with several practical tips I'll continue thinking about and applying to my own routine. While it could have been more concise, I still walked away with a healthier perspective on sleep. 🌙✨
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 💕
There were quite a few takeaways that really stuck with me, including:
💤 The more we stress about sleep, the harder it becomes to fall asleep.
💤 Accept that the occasional rough night is a normal part of life instead of dwelling on it.
💤 Sleep is just one piece of our overall health.
💤 Waking up at the same time every day is more beneficial than sleeping in.
💤 If you want to improve your sleep, focus on building a better morning routine—not just your nighttime routine.
While I found the advice genuinely helpful, I did feel the book became quite repetitive. The same concepts were revisited throughout multiple chapters, and at times I found myself wondering if my audiobook had accidentally skipped backward. 😅 I think the message would have been just as impactful in a much shorter format.
One section I especially appreciated was the appendix discussing chronic sleep disorders and when it's important to seek medical advice. 💙 I thought it was refreshing that the author acknowledged that lifestyle changes alone aren't the answer for everyone.
Overall, I found this to be an insightful read with several practical tips I'll continue thinking about and applying to my own routine. While it could have been more concise, I still walked away with a healthier perspective on sleep. 🌙✨
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 💕
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Stephanie Romiszewski has written a brilliant book on sleep, sleep anxiety and things that really need to change in our understanding of sleep and the industry that has a lot of snake oil behind it.
I've been on a 5 star streak of nonfiction self help books lately. I wish this one had been out back when I stopped drinking and got sober 3+ years ago. The amount of anxiety I had around sleep and my scores and not having the right sleep hygiene and sleep meds or supplements, was all cleared up in this book. All I can say was this helped me realize a few things I needed to change and my beliefs behind them.
Since reading this, my sleep has improved. It's so much better than it was a month ago. I started to read the ebook ARC last December but got the chance to listen to it from NetGalley via an advanced listening copy and it made a huge difference to get this version so I could rewind entire sections and chapters over the last few months. The audiobook will be released on July 7th 2026 and I will be purchasing my own copy and a copy for a very good friend whom suffered the same anxiety as myself.
She has a way of explaining things that will help you understand what the underlying issues are.
So thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies. Go get a copy of this if you struggle with sleep. You will enjoy it immensely.
#Netgalley
#MacmillanAudio
#StephanieRomiszewski
#ThinkLessSleepMore
I've been on a 5 star streak of nonfiction self help books lately. I wish this one had been out back when I stopped drinking and got sober 3+ years ago. The amount of anxiety I had around sleep and my scores and not having the right sleep hygiene and sleep meds or supplements, was all cleared up in this book. All I can say was this helped me realize a few things I needed to change and my beliefs behind them.
Since reading this, my sleep has improved. It's so much better than it was a month ago. I started to read the ebook ARC last December but got the chance to listen to it from NetGalley via an advanced listening copy and it made a huge difference to get this version so I could rewind entire sections and chapters over the last few months. The audiobook will be released on July 7th 2026 and I will be purchasing my own copy and a copy for a very good friend whom suffered the same anxiety as myself.
She has a way of explaining things that will help you understand what the underlying issues are.
So thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies. Go get a copy of this if you struggle with sleep. You will enjoy it immensely.
#Netgalley
#MacmillanAudio
#StephanieRomiszewski
#ThinkLessSleepMore
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