Customer Reviews

Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: 7 Keys to Sleeping Through the Night

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This masterful book is scholarly, practical, and caring.

Among the many practical ideas given for sound sleep, I will mention three that I found especially helpful. First, the very obvious suggestion to get up during the night to read or do something else enjoyable when one cannot sleep. Now instead of lying there and telling myself that I can't afford the time to get up because I need my sleep, I get up and find myself much more rested the next day for having done so.
The idea of wearing a retainer of some kind to help relax the jaw and to prevent gnashing teeth is very helpful. And the knowledge that there are Positive Air Pressure masks available for those who have breathing problems is invaluable.

Dr. Krakow devoted chapters to feelings and their relationship to sleep.
What I especially found beneficial is the idea of pausing a moment to acknowledge my feelings to myself as I go through the day, not trying to analyze or judge them, but to simply acknowledge them, since feelings that have been allowed to build can make for sleepless nights.

And what I found most helpful is this: that when I cannot sleep because of racing thoughts and racing feelings, there is a technique called Imaging, such as picturing a peaceful moment from childhood or a beautiful nature scene and holding that in mind. It calms the thoughts and feelings and can give the peaceful feeling of sleep.

I highly recommend this book.

I met Dr. Krakow several years ago when I self-referred myself to his practice after seeking to find someone to help me with my sleep disorder. One of the first things Dr. Krakow pointed out to me was concerning sleep hygiene. Learning how to write things down on a pad of paper sometime early in the evening before bedtime and leave them there, or not watching the clock or time monitoring at night are two examples in Dr. Krakow's book, "Sound Sleep, Sound Mind" that have proven to be nuggets of truth that have helped me with my sleep disorder. These and other recommendations like them were very helpful to me. Learning to sense feelings and not ignore them is another very important aspect of good sleep hygiene I have learned from Dr. Krakow's book. I think this is the most important aspect of learning about sleep issues for me. It was good to be reminded, "human emotion is to protect you to insure your survival, safety and security." It was also very important to learn that there is also a physical component to a sleep disorder. It's hard to summarize all the things I have incorporated into my life after reading this book. I think the consciousness-raising aspect of the books is what strikes me as the most important thing about it. Relearning some things and incorporating them to improve my quality of sleep, becoming more in touch with my emotions and not over thinking things has been very helpful to me in my search for good quality sleep. Thank you, Dr. Krakow, for your caring, concern, and dedication in helping those of us who dare to sleep, perchance to dream.

Nancy

This is a great book to help with just about any sleeping problem. I really liked the chapter that discussed the idea of Thoughts, Feelings, and Images (TFI). It is very important to be well balanced in these three areas to sleep well, if your sleep problem has a mental aspect to it.

Having been plagued by physical problems (those which I won't discuss in this public forum) and having a general distaste for the medicated state of society, it was a relief to know that alternatives were out there. I'm not going to say that this book will change your life, but it will help anyone who is sincere in their desire to get sound sleep. Honestly

Dr. Krakow has written an incredible book. SOUND SLEEP, SOUND MIND is jam-packed with information, some of it surprising, and covers a wide range of ground. The approach is especially welcome in this age of over-medication.

"What a remarkable introduction to the world of sleep disorders for the lay person. Dr. Krakow has captured the vital essence of this complex world and translated it into clear English without dumbing it down. As a surgeon who has had the pleasure of working with Barry, I can only vouch for his unparalleled attention to detail and patient-centered focus.

Jim Bates, D.D.S., M.D.
Dallas, Texas"

Sound Sleep, Sound Mind is an excellent book. It is written at a level both professionals and the general public can understand. It is full of 'pearls' that will be helpful for a lot of people. It is especially great for those who have insomnia and need to know about end of day management. There are a lot of great tips on how to do some practical things that most people would not think about themselves.

The book is also great for an individual who knows they have a sleep problem, but doesn't know which way to turn. It also helps people understand what will happen when they go to a sleep center - which many dread going to because of fear of the unknown.
Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: 7 Keys to Sleeping Through the Night

Dr. Krakow has written an outstanding resource for behavioral health professionals who treat individuals suffering from sleep disturbances. His Sleep Dynamic Therapy is an evidence-based and commonsense approach to improving not only the quantity of sleep, but the more important quality of sleep. Dr. Krakow relies on many of the basic principles of sleep medicine and behavioral and clinical psychology in presenting this effective approach for alleviating acute and chronic sleep problems. I highly recommend this book as a first line treatment for those suffering from sleep difficulties. -Bret A. Moore, Psy.D., ABPP (Board Certified Clinical Psychologist)

Inadequate sleep is a poorly understood and often underestimated medical problem. This book helps us all analyze unhealthy sleep patterns and identify ways to correct them. I found the content useful for both health professionals and the general public. I highly recommend it to persons with sleep problems and those trying to help them.

If you are looking for help to understand your sleep problems or sleep disorder, this is the book for you. Dr. Krakow has done an amazing job of giving us all the information we need to understand what is causing the problem and how to begin the process of "fixing" it. Most books out there overgeneralize and don't really get into anything specific. Dr. Krakow's book is not like that. He has done an outstanding job, and done it with empathy you can feel as you read. If you get this book, you will definitely be on the way to getting the help you need. There's lots more help on his website, as well: [...]