Neil Stanley - How to Sleep Well

The Science of Sleeping Smarter, Living Better, and Being Productive

Dr. Neil Stanley

This edition first published 2018

2018 Neil Stanley

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Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Names: Stanley, Neil, 1965 author.

Title: How to sleep well : the science of sleeping smarter, living better and being productive / by Neil Stanley.

Description: Chichester, West Sussex : Wiley, 2018. | Includes index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2018014786 (print) | LCCN 2018017650 (ebook) | ISBN 9780857087874 (epub) | ISBN 9780857087850 (pdf) | ISBN 9780857087683 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Sleep. | Sleep disordersTreatment.

Classification: LCC RA786 (ebook) | LCC RA786 .S73 2018 (print) | DDC 613.7/94dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018014786

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: chuckchee/Shutterstock

I started my career in sleep in 1982 at the age of 16 when I got a job in the Neurosciences Division of the R.A.F. Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM) in Farnborough, Hampshire. At the time the RAF were interested in sleep because of issues such as jet lag, aircrew work load, shift work, and medicines that could positively or negatively affect sleep. When I joined the IAM it had a threebed sleep laboratory, although over the years this increased to six. During my time at IAM I was involved in numerous research studies, the most notable of which was my participation in a medical expedition to Pakistan where my colleagues and I recorded sleep in eight people for six nights at 18,500 feet (5400m) in the Karakoram Mountains.

In 1993 I took a position at the Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit (HPRU), part of the University of Surrey, where I eventually became Director of Sleep Research. At the HPRU I created and ran a 24bed trials sleep laboratory, primarily designed for clinical trials into the effects of medications on sleep.

I received my PhD from the University of Surrey on the basis of my published works in 2004.

I have published 38 peerreview papers on various aspects of sleep research and psychopharmacology and I have presented my research to numerous national and international scientific and medical societies.

I am a member of the following professional bodies:

• European Sleep Research Society
• American Academy of Sleep Medicine
• British Sleep Society (Chairman 20002004, Committee member 19982000)
• European Society of Sleep Technologists

I was a member of the Executive Committee of the Assembly of National Sleep Societies (20042009) and through that I am a coauthor of the guidelines for accreditation of Sleep Medicine Centres; guidelines for Sleep Medicine Education in Europe, and standard procedures for Adult Sleep Medicine.

In addition to setting up a clinical sleep service at the HPRU, I was also involved, on a freelance basis, in setting up and developing the sleep service at The London Clinic.

I have also worked freelance for Scansleep in Copenhagen and the Lovisenberg Hospital in Oslo.

I now spend most of my time writing about sleep and travelling worldwide lecturing on the benefits of good sleep to both healthcare professionals and members of the public. I am widely quoted by the UK and international media as a sleep expert.

Since 1982 I have spent much of my life watching other people sleep, (which when I write it down does sound rather sinister!).

Sleep is my life it's what I do.

If I am not talking about sleep, I am writing about sleep; if I am not writing about sleep I am reading about sleep; if I am not reading about sleep, I am probably asleep.

(For more information see www.thesleepconsultancy.com).

I think that it is only right if I am going to give advice about sleep, that you should at least know if I practice what I preach. So below is a brief description of my sleep environment and habits.

• I sleep in a 6ft (Super King) Vispring Shetland Superb bed.
• The bed is dressed with pure wool, long, continental single duvets, and pure cotton bed linen.
• I ordinarily sleep in a separate bedroom from my partner.
• I use two down and feather pillows.
• I wear cotton pyjamas.
• I always sleep with a window open, however cold it is outside.
• I do not have the heating on overnight in the bedroom.
• I do not have a TV, computer or a radio in my bedroom.
• I always read a proper paper book before lights out.
• I am very much a morning person so if I wake up early I will get up.
• If I wake in the middle of the night I will usually switch the bedside light on and read for 1060 minutes.
• I feel I need 99 hours' sleep a night to be at my best.
• I have a pretty regular routine when I am at home I usually go to bed between 9:3010:30p.m. and awake and get up at 66:30a.m., even at the weekends.
• I do snore sometimes, usually after alcohol, but also because I carry a bit more weight than perhaps I should.
• I do not exercise in the evening, to be honest I don't actually do much exercise at any time.
• I do not eat too late at night.
• I do not avoid caffeine or moderate alcohol in the evening.
• I sometimes, but not often, have a couple of beers or a couple of glasses of wine in the evening.