Insomniac

"This is a 300 page , 50 page book. The continous repeating of the same anecdotal comments about an insomniac soon leaves the reader wondering what is being said.
The call for more research and a list of suggested research topics would have been sufficient and taken only a few pages.
See Jim Horne's review in Nature, which I thought was overly generous. "
~ Written on 2008-08-22

"On every page, I kept saying, this is my life. Her information on the whole problem of insomnia and the sleep medicine industry was eye opening and right on target. so much useful information. And it reads like a novel! Fantastic book that should be read by all MDs in the field, as well as all people who have sleep problems. and all politicians as well."
~ Written on 2008-08-15

"I am so glad I found this book. This book is practical, informative, and gives a voice to insomniacs. The research in this book is very thorough, and the personal perspective balances out scientific information with human experience. I have been disappointed and frustrated with the medical community's treatment of insomnia, and it was such a relief to read that I am not the only one. In fact, we learn from this book how this a fundamental barrier to effectively researching and treating insomnia.

As an insomniac, this book has helped me tremendously. I recommend it for anyone suffering from insomnia, as well as anyone who knows someone with insomnia, or anyone interested in the fascinating subject of sleep. "
~ Written on 2008-08-01

"This book made important points in clear, enjoyable, passionate prose. Greene discusses possible physical causes of insomnia, the financial disincentives for scientists and pharmaceutical companies to develop new remedies, and the need for insomniacs to organize into a patients' interest group. Likewise, her personal stories and discussions with other insomniacs underscore how often insomniacs are blamed rather than helped by health care professionals.

Nevertheless, the book goes on at such length about these points that it develops an overwrought tone. Moreover, because it focuses so much on Greene's problem, sleep maintenance rather than sleep onset, this other form of insomnia gets little discussion or consideration.

As a fellow sufferer, though, the best thing this book has done for me is
lead me to accept my condition. In fact, after reading this book, I think I don't suffer nearly as much from my sleepless nights as others do, so henceforth I will look at my tossing and turning time as a gift, and slink out of bed and into an armchair with more books!"
~ Written on 2008-07-21

"What did I like best about this book? It did not blame me for my insomnia. It did not patronize me for one minute. It did not tell me that I had obviously not tried to solve my sleep problems, or not tried hard enough. This is a book that works for people having their first insomnia problems and for those of us who have struggled for years. Gayle Green has undertaken a very thorough study of the science and business of sleep as they stand today, given a review of the history of insomnia, and presented many avenues for future research and experimentation. I now have more hope than I have had in years that I might improve my sleep. Heck, just knowing that there are other people out there going through the same experience I am gives a great deal of comfort. This book confirms the logical conclusion that insomnia is a complex, multi-faceted problem that needs a great deal more attention than it now receives. I can only thank her for having written it. Anyone who has trouble sleeping-- or knows someone who does-- should read this book."
~ Written on 2008-07-11