Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health

Description

The Sunday Times bestselling guide to using the science of the body clock to create your optimum personal routine- sleep better, work better and feel better. In the twenty-first century, we increasingly push our daily routines into the night, carrying out work, exercise and our social lives long after dark. But we have forgotten that our bodies are governed by a 24-hour biological clock which guides us towards the best time to sleep, eat and think. In Life Time, Professor Russell Foster shares his life's work, taking us on a fascinating and surprising journey through the science of our body clocks. Using his own studies, as well as insights from an international community of sleep scientists and biologists studying circadian rhythms, he illustrates the surprising effects the time of day can have on our health- how a walk outside at dawn can ensure a better night's sleep, how eating after sundown can affect our weight, and the extraordinary effects the time we take our medication can have on our risk of life-threatening conditions, such as strokes. With knowledge of this astonishing science, we can get back into the rhythm, and live healthier, sharper lives.

Russell Foster is Professor of Circadian Neuroscience, Director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi) and Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology at the University of Oxford. He frequently contributes to newspapers, television and radio, including an appearance on Desert Island Discs, and has co-written four popular science books - this is his first as sole author.

'A superlative guide to some of the most intriguing questions of human existence' -- Bill Bryson, author of The Body: A Guide for Occupants A comprehensive manifesto for living in harmony with our body clocks, penned by someone who has devoted his career to studying them. * Financial Times * 'Who knew that everything, I mean everything to do with our health is influenced by our circadian rhythms and sleep: physical and mental health, immune functioning, disease, fertility, relationships, energy, emotions, mood, work life, family life and happiness. This book tells you what to do to keep within your natural rhythm and how to do it. A perfect blend of humour, science and pure genius - what more could you want? Consider it an emergency to read' -- Ruby Wax 'Who knew our body clocks determined so much of our health, happiness, and lifespan? Renowned neuroscientist Russell Foster has spent four decades shining a light into the dimly understood and fascinating field of human biological rhythms. This book crisply summarizes what he's discovered. I learned so much' -- James Nestor, author of Breath 'This book has the answers to everything you've ever wondered about your natural rhythms, from sleep to eating to exercise. Excellent, engaging and evidence-based, it's a brilliant guide to an aspect of our health we don't think about enough' -- Claudia Hammond, author of The Art of Rest 'Strongly recommended. You will sleep more deeply, be awake more fully, and live much more harmoniously with Russell Foster's help' -- Anthony Seldon, author of The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister 'Almost all of us would benefit from this revelatory guide by a world-leading expert on circadian neuroscience' (Editor's Choice) * The Bookseller * 'Russell Foster's writing on circadian rhythms and sleep opens a new scientific frontier. Understanding the effect of sleep on our brains is the key to improved performance and happiness. Sleep is to the brain what diet is to the body' -- Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, Minister for Trade Policy, UK 'Whatever I do in my day, or wherever I have travelled to or from, Russell Foster's guiding words and advice on healthy sleep, regular rhythms and the importance of daylight resound in my head. This is a must read for anyone wishing a more balanced existence' -- Dora Loewenstein, President of BrainWaves, and a Vice-President of Save the Children Astonishing . . . What gives the book special force is the author's prominence on the front lines of circadian neuroscience and sleep medicine, not to mention the breadth and depth of the research, which he is as excited to share as if he were recounting a gripping mystery. * Wall Street Journal *