Sleep changes immensely throughout your lifetime. From the multiple naps and long nights sleep of infants, to the 8-10 hours needed by teens, to the hot flashes of midlife, to the nodding off and mid-night wakening of our senior years. Knowing what to expect, what’s normal, what’s not, and what to do to sleep well is important for people of all ages. These are the 10 best books to read for a good night’s sleep throughout your lifetime. Choose the one that’s right for right now, so you can sleep well and feel good.
The Good Sleeper. The Essential Guide to Sleep for Your Baby (and You) by Janet Krone Kennedy, PhD.
A refreshingly straightforward method for training infants to become great sleepers for life, inspired by clinical psychologist Janet Kennedy’s popular psychotherapy practice, NYC Sleep Doctor
Cry it out or co-sleep? Bassinet or swing? White noise machine or Bach? How many hours anyway? For something so important, there’s too much conflicting information about how best to get your baby to sleep through the night and nap successfully during the day. This book is a straightforward, no-nonsense answer to one of the biggest challenges new parents face when they welcome a brand new baby home.
Rested Child. Why Your Tired, Wired, or Irritable Child May Have a Sleep Disorder- and How to Help by W. Chris Winter, MD
Sleep disorders in children are on the rise. Experts have pronounced sleeplessness a “hidden health crisis” for young people, with 10 percent of children presenting with diagnosable sleep disorders–but well over half are misdiagnosed. Every year, tens of thousands of children are treated for diseases such as diabetes, learning disorders, or chronic pain, when the real root cause of their ailment may actually be a sleep disorder for which they’re not being treated.
The Sleepy Pebble and Other Stories. Calming Tales to Read at Bedtime by Alice Gregory, Christy Kirkpatrick and Eleanor Hardiman
The Sleepy Pebble and Other Stories is a soothing collection of tales co-written by sleep specialist Alice Gregory and children’s book writer Christy Kirkpatrick. They have crafted these stories to incorporate mindfulness and other techniques that can aid relaxation. Coupled with dreamlike and calming illustrations, this treasury could make bedtime a little bit easier.
The Sleep-Deprived Teen. Why Our Teenagers are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive by Lisa Lewis
Teenagers are exhausted, strapped for time, and asked to wake up far earlier than they should. Now, journalist Lisa L. Lewis, who helped spark the first law in the nation requiring healthy school start times for adolescents, has written a reader-friendly, research-based book for parents who want to help their fatigued teens and tweens.
As Lewis demonstrates, sleep affects mental health, athletic performance, academic success, and more. On the flip side, well-rested teens are happier, healthier, and more emotionally resilient.
Goodnight Mind for Teens. Skills to Help You Quiet Noisy Thoughts & Get the Sleep You Need by Colleen Carney, PhD
Do you have trouble getting to sleep at night? You aren’t alone. There are so many reasons teens today have a difficult time going to sleep–including early school start times, too much late-night screen time, or just being anxious about what the future holds. You are at an important crossroads in your life, so it’s natural to feel overwhelmed at times. But it’s essential that you get the sleep you need. This book can help.
Sleeping Better in Pregnancy by Clare Ladyman with Leigh Signal
Get the best sleep in pregnancy to enhance the health and wellbeing of you and your baby. The challenge to getting a good night’s sleep is especially hard for pregnant women. This book, based on the latest research from Massey University’s Sleep/Wake Research Centre, includes up-to-date information about why sleep is important, how sleep works, and the different lifestyle and pregnancy changes that can affect your sleep. It also provides practical strategies to help you get the best sleep possible in each trimester.
Sleep Well – Age Well. The Senior’s Guide to Restoring Deep, Restorative Sleep Naturally by Jasper Wildwood
Do you remember when sleep was simple? When you closed your eyes and it simply came – deep, unthinking, restorative?
For millions of adults over sixty, that kind of sleep has become elusive. The nights grow lighter and more fragmented. Sleep takes longer to arrive. The 3am waking brings a mind that refuses to quieten. And a quiet resignation settles in – that this is simply what getting older feels like.
It doesn’t have to be.
