Shakespeare most memorably said that it is “sleep that knits the ravelled sleeve of care”. We are all familiar with the bliss of a good night’s sleep, the bleariness after a night spent tossing and turning and the exhaustion and illnesses that can be caused by sleep deprivation. Why does sleep elude some while others are out as soon as their head touches the pillow? Why do some wake up refreshed and others still tired? Why and how do people talk, walk, even drive safely in their sleep? What mysteries of the brain are triggered in the darkness of the night?
Guy is a consultant neurologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London, where he leads one of Europe’s largest clinical sleep services. He is also author of two well-received books: The Nocturnal Brain and The Secret World of Sleep.
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