"Bregje Hofstede is an extraordinary writer."--Rutger Bregmans, author
of Utopia for Realists and Humankind: A Hopeful History
Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing meets Matthew Walker's Why We
Sleep in this fascinating deep-dive into the science and history of
sleep.
In Search of Sleep is both a self-help manual for insomniacs, and a
sweeping critique of the hustle culture that blinds us to the real
reasons we lie awake at night: from politics to pandemics to poverty.
Amsterdam-based writer Bregje Hofstede struggled with insomnia for 10
years, but advice from doctors and books always felt lacking in
perspective. Wasn't insomnia more than just an individual struggle?
Might it also be a rational reaction to our increasingly turbulent
world?
Unlike the vast majority of books about sleep, In Search of Sleep
examines insomnia as both a physical and psychological condition and an
early warning sign that something is off in society. As Hofstede points
out, studies show that insomnia increased during the pandemic and that
people with less money sleep the worst. She also shows that
sleeplessness is tied inextricably to loneliness, while meaningful
relationships can provide the security we need to slumber.
Interweaving neuroscience, cultural anthropology, history, and
interviews with experts, In Search of Sleep invites us to see
insomniacs as oracles, not oddballs, and offers a unique way forward for
the sleep-deprived and the dreamless. If we are aware of both the small
and large forces that keep us awake, then we can begin to take political
action, reimagine the role of sleep in our own lives, and rid ourselves
of insomnia for good.
