The Brain as a Night Monster

Do you think your brain sleeps when you do? What happens to our brain at night? A renowned neurologist shares the true stories of people who can't get a proper night's rest: - A woman in a deep sleep who gets dressed, unlocks her car, and drives several kilometres before returning to bed. - A man who eats the contents of his fridge in his sleep without knowing it. - A teenager afflicted with Sleeping Beauty syndrome who sleeps deeply for several days at a time and, when he finally wakes up, suffers from compulsive overeating, aggression, and signs of hypersexuality. Dr Guy Leschziner's patients are often desperate people, living without rest for their body and mind, who suffer from a wide variety of sleep disorders. Through the specific cases of several of them, we can see how not only they but also their family members cope with these disorders, and what incredible forms their suffering can take. Insomnia, narcolepsy, night terrors, apnoea, or sleepwalking are common disorders that many people suffer from, but then there are the extreme forms of sleep difficulties. Demonic hallucinations that terrify with a paralysing effect. Restless legs syndrome, which manifests as kicking during sleep, bothering the loved ones of those affected. An unsynchronised circadian rhythm that is out of step with the natural day and night cycle. With the latest knowledge about the causes of these disorders, science is able to improve not only our physical and mental health, but also our cognitive abilities and bring overall happiness. Dr Guy Leschziner works as a neurologist at Guy's Hospital and St. Thomas' Hospital in London, where he leads the Sleep Disorders Centre, one of the most important sleep laboratories in Europe, and also as a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King's College London.