We may spend up to one-third of our lives asleep--but there is no rest for the brain. On the contrary, sleeping is a time of continual, spontaneous brain activity largely independent of external stimuli. Through a brilliant examination of recent studies of sleep patterns, dreaming, and disorders such as insomnia, J. Allan Hobson reveals that we know about the physical basis of human consciousness and dispels many myths about sleeping. We may spend up to one-third of our lives asleep, but there's no actual rest for brain activity. This paper edition covers more changes in sleep research findings; from new therapeutic discoveries on sleep's benefits and mechanisms to biochemical discoveries. An excellent reference. -- Midwest Book Review J. Allan Hobson is the author of The Dreaming Brain and The Chemistry of Conscious States. He is professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Laboratory of Neurophysiology at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Used Book in Good Condition