Night School audiobook cover - The Life-Changing Science of Sleep

Night School

The Life-Changing Science of Sleep

Richard Wiseman

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Night School
Stages of Sleep+
Sleep Deprivation+
Genetics & Conditions+
Sleep Remedies+
The Active Sleeping Brain+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What characterizes the first stage of sleep according to the text?
  • A. Rapid eye movement and an accelerated heart rate.
  • B. Complete disconnection from surroundings and one to two brain waves per second.
  • C. The production of creative and less rational ideas as brain activity slows.
  • D. Deep breathing and the relaxation of throat muscles leading to snoring.
Question 2 of 8
How did Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb impact human sleep habits?
  • A. It improved sleep quality by providing warm, artificial light before bed.
  • B. It encouraged people to sleep in multiple short phases rather than one long block.
  • C. It drastically reduced sleep times by enabling nighttime work and socializing.
  • D. It helped regulate melatonin production by mimicking natural sunlight.
Question 3 of 8
What did Gregory Belenky’s 2003 study on sleep deprivation and reflexes reveal?
  • A. People who slept seven hours had slower reflexes than those who slept nine, despite feeling alert.
  • B. Reflexes remain sharp as long as a person gets at least five hours of uninterrupted sleep.
  • C. Sleep deprivation only affects physical reflexes, leaving cognitive problem-solving intact.
  • D. Participants who slept three hours compensated by relying on adrenaline to match the reflexes of the nine-hour group.
Question 4 of 8
Why are some people able to thrive on exceptionally small amounts of sleep, like the woman known as Miss M.?
  • A. They have trained their bodies to bypass light sleep stages and enter REM immediately.
  • B. They possess a specific genetic mutation known as DEC2.
  • C. They consume specific diets that reduce the brain's need for cellular repair.
  • D. They engage in high-intensity meditation practices that simulate deep sleep.
Question 5 of 8
According to the text, why is it important to avoid bright screens before going to bed?
  • A. The light overstimulates the optic nerve, causing rapid eye movement to begin prematurely.
  • B. The brightness increases the brain's wave frequency from 12 back to 30 waves per second.
  • C. Exposure to bright light prevents the release of melatonin, tricking the body into thinking it is daytime.
  • D. Screen time increases cortisol levels, which triggers sleepwalking episodes.
Question 6 of 8
When does sleepwalking typically occur during the sleep cycle?
  • A. Exclusively during the first stage of light sleep.
  • B. During the rapid eye movement (REM) phase when dreaming peaks.
  • C. In the deep sleep phases just before rapid eye movement sets in.
  • D. Immediately after waking up from a traumatic nightmare.
Question 7 of 8
What did Lawrence LeShan's experiment with boys at a summer camp demonstrate?
  • A. Playing white noise can cure chronic insomnia in young adults.
  • B. Repeatedly whispering a phrase during sleep helped 40 percent of the boys stop biting their nails.
  • C. Children are immune to sleep-learning unless they are in the deep sleep phases.
  • D. Sleep-learning is a myth and had no statistical effect on the boys' habits.
Question 8 of 8
According to Richard Greenberg and Rosalind Cartwright's research, what is a primary function of dreaming?
  • A. To encode factual information learned during the day into long-term memory.
  • B. To help people process traumatic events and regain emotional balance.
  • C. To predict future scenarios and prepare the body's fight-or-flight response.
  • D. To completely erase unpleasant memories from the conscious mind.

Night School — Full Chapter Overview

Night School Summary & Overview

Night School (2014) is about an often neglected yet essential ingredient for happiness and success in life: a good night’s sleep. People have been struggling with sleep for centuries, and while we’ve come up with some methods for alleviating insomnia, we’ve also gained a lot of insight into why sleep is so crucial.

Who Should Listen to Night School?

  • Insomniacs desperate for a good night’s sleep
  • Workaholics who think sleep is overrated
  • Readers wondering why they have nightmares

About the Author: Richard Wiseman

Richard Wiseman is a professor at the University of Hertfordshire and one of Britain’s most acclaimed psychologists. He is celebrated for making complex concepts accessible to the general public through his popular YouTube videos and his best-selling books, such as 59 Seconds and Quirkology.

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