We think of sleep as a waste of time. A time when we are literally doing nothing. Yet every human on the planet spends several hours each day asleep. We are not alone. Almost every animal enjoys some form of sleep. The idea that millions of years of evolution resulted in this ability for no reason at all is ludicrous. When we are asleep we are not dormant. In fact, it is the busiest time of the day. For the past sixty years, a small number of scientists have dedicated their lives to studying the sleeping mind. This work has resulted in a series of remarkable techniques that can help people to recognize dangerous levels of sleep deprivation, get a great night's sleep, avoid nightmares, learn in their sleep, take productive power naps, decode dreams, and create a perfect nocturnal fantasy. Until now, these discoveries have been restricted to academic journals and University conferences. Professor Richard Wiseman journeys deep into this dark world and meets the vampire-like scientists who go to work when everyone else is heading for bed. Carrying out his own nocturnal mass participation studies along the way, Wiseman presents the definitive guide to the surprising new science of sleep and dreaming. For years the self-development movement has focused on improving people's waking lives. It is now time for us all to unlock that missing third of our days.

Author Biography

Richard Wiseman is based at the University of Hertfordshire and holds Britain's only professor for the Public Understanding of Psychology. He has an international reputation for his research into unusual areas, including deception, luck, humour and the paranormal, is frequently quoted by the media, and his research has been featured on over 150 television programmes across the world. He is the author of the international bestseller 59 Seconds.