Sleep is critical to our mental wellbeing and can impact our ability to succeed. Explore resources about why it is so important and how to become, and stay, well rested. The library has the PBS documentary The Mysteries of Sleep, which is a good place to start. You can see other resources we have below.
Why We Sleep by
"Why We Sleep is an important and fascinating book...Walker taught me a lot about this basic activity that every person on Earth needs. I suspect his book will do the same for you." --Bill Gates A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this "stimulating and important book" (Financial Times) is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber. Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when we don't sleep. Compared to the other basic drives in life--eating, drinking, and reproducing--the purpose of sleep remained elusive. An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now, preeminent neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming. Within the brain, sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. It recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. Dreaming mollifies painful memories and creates a virtual reality space in which the brain melds past and present knowledge to inspire creativity. Walker answers important questions about sleep: how do caffeine and alcohol affect sleep? What really happens during REM sleep? Why do our sleep patterns change across a lifetime? How do common sleep aids affect us and can they do long-term damage? Charting cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and synthesizing decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood, and energy levels; regulate hormones; prevent cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes; slow the effects of aging; increase longevity; enhance the education and lifespan of our children, and boost the efficiency, success, and productivity of our businesses. Clear-eyed, fascinating, and accessible, Why We Sleep is a crucial and illuminating book.
The Power of Habit by
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * This instant classic explores how we can change our lives by changing our habits. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal * Financial Times In The Power of Habit, award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives. With a new Afterword by the author "Sharp, provocative, and useful."--Jim Collins "Few [books] become essential manuals for business and living. The Power of Habit is an exception. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good."--Financial Times "A flat-out great read."--David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity "You'll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way."--Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind "Entertaining . . . enjoyable . . . fascinating . . . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change."--The New York Times Book Review
The Happy Mind by
From the Wall Street Journal, the bestselling author of Unlimited Memory comes a new book on finding happiness in life using the power of your mind. Happiness is more than just a feeling: it's a learned skill. When you master the habits of happiness, your life will be filled with more peace, purpose, and passion. The search for happiness is fundamental for all humans, and the answers lie within the depths of your mind. In this book, you'll discover valuable insights for lasting happiness instead of being driven by short-term pleasure-seeking. You'll find the answers to your most important questions: What do you need to do to be truly happy? How can you change the old habits, beliefs, and situations that make you unhappy? These questions have led to many philosophical debates over thousands of years. The philosophers of Greece were famous for their quest to define the pillars of "the good life." Faith-based movements have painstakingly crafted dogmas and prescribed behaviors in pursuit of ultimate peace and joy. Academic studies have been concentrated on finding the answer to "the optimal life experience." When you look at all the scientific research, religious teachings, and philosophical insights, you find one inescapable conclusion: you can learn to live a truly happy life, but you must come to understand one thing: We all experience happiness differently. What makes one person happy may make another miserable. There is no one key to happiness for everyone. Instead, the answers lie within you. As Shakespeare wrote, "This above all, to thine own self be true." When you find what makes you truly happy, you'll have all the answers you need. This book will help you find your unique roadmap to happiness. The aim of this book is not to push a specific method of achieving happiness. Instead, you'll discover valuable insights that will allow you to create lasting happiness for yourself instead of being driven by short-term pleasure-seeking.
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by
In The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Dr. Joseph Murphy gives you the tools you will need to unlock the awesome powers of your subconscious mind. You can improve your relationships, your finances, your physical well-being. Once you learn how to use this unbelievably powerful force there is nothing you will not be able to accomplish. Join the millions of people who have already unlocked the power of their subconscious minds. I urge you to study this book and apply the techniques outlined therein; and as you do, I feel absolutely convinced that you will lay hold of a miracle-working power that will lift you up from confusion, misery, melancholy, and failure, and guide you to your true place, solve your difficulties, sever you from emotional and physical bondage, and place you on the royal road to freedom, happiness, and peace of mind.- Dr. Joseph Murphy
Cleaning up Your Mental Mess by
Toxic thoughts, depression, anxiety--our mental mess is frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. There's hope and help available to us--and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may actually be shorter than you think.Backed by clinical research and illustrated with compelling case studies, Dr. Caroline Leaf provides a scientifically proven five-step plan to find and eliminate the root of anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts in your life so you can experience dramatically improved mental and physical health. In just 21 days, you can start to clean up your mental mess and be on the road to wholeness, peace, and happiness.
Know Your Real Self by
This book will provide all spiritual answers, clarity and spiritual guidance that you are seeking on your path and will help you attain inner peace & inner freedom. It will also help you attain positive strength, happiness and higher states of consciousness. It will also reveal the ultimate spiritual truth and the mysteries of enlightenment and liberation or moksha. The book also has two very powerful meditations which will completely transform your life and help you in your spiritual growth and inner purification provided it is practiced regularly with surrender and faith.I got a strong intuitive feeling to write this book so that more and more people can be benefited by it. I wanted to share my life's journey & experiences in depth with readers and sadhaks/spiritual seekers who are on a similar path so that they can get insight and more clarity on lot of issues which will deepen their faith and help them to see their own journey in a different light. The other reason of writing this book is to help other sadhaks/spiritual seekers gain insight and learn from my experiences. I never intended to write this book for any name or fame or money but rather my main intention is to help other seekers on their spiritual path so that they can purify their inner selves and experience higher states of consciousness, inner peace and inner freedom.
Unworthy by
"Anneli Rufus has an incredible insight into the human condition. Through observation and anecdote, she shows us that no matter what was said or done to us, self-loathing does not have to be our fate. Hers is a strong, sympathetic and encouraging voice."--Henry Rollins "This book should be required reading for anyone suffering from low self-esteem, and while it will likely cause readers to tear up repeatedly, the empathy and grounded advice is sure to help inspire healing."--Publishers Weekly "Self-loathing is a dark land studded with booby-traps. Fumbling through its dark underbrush, we cannot see what our trouble actually is: that we are mistaken about ourselves. That we were told lies long ago which we, in love and loyalty and fear, believed. Will we believe ourselves to death?" --from Unworthy. As someone who has struggled with low self-esteem her entire life, Anneli Rufus knows only too well how the world looks through the eyes of those who are not comfortable in their own skin. In Unworthy, Rufus boldly explores how a lack of faith in ourselves can turn us into our own worst enemies. Drawing on extensive research, enlightening interviews, and her own poignant experiences, Rufus considers the question: What personal, societal, biological, and historical factors coalesced to spark this secret epidemic, and what can be done to put a stop to it? She reveals the underlying sources of low self-esteem and leads us through strategies for positive change.
Shoot Your Shot: a Sport-Inspired Guide to Living Your Best Life by
Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant. LeBron James. Stephen Curry. Kawhi Leonard. Giannis Antetokounmpo. James Harden. Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook. These are some of the most high profile names in one of the world's most popular sports--basketball. But what steps did they take to elevate themselves to superstardom? What principles did they follow in order to become the best of the best? More importantly, how can you use their example to attain success in all of your endeavors? 'Shoot Your Shot' identifies the key principles that the world's most elite basketball players have applied to their lives and explains in detail how you can can use those same exact principles to help you navigate through life, accomplish your goals, and realize your dreams. Divided into Quarters and making you feel like you are in an actual basketball game, 'Shoot Your Shot' provides an entertaining and unique reading experience while equipping you with proven tools for success. More than just a book about sports, 'Shoot Your Shoot' is suitable for everyone--regardless of age, gender, background, or standing in life.
Badass Habits by
New York Times bestselling author Jen Sincero gets to the core of transformation: habits--breaking, making, understanding, and sticking with them like you've never stuck before. Badass Habits is a eureka-sparking, easy-to-digest look at how our habits make us who we are, from the measly moments that happen in private to the resolutions we loudly broadcast (and, erm, often don't keep) on social media. Habit busting and building goes way beyond becoming a dedicated flosser or never showing up late again--our habits reveal our unmet desires, the gaps in our boundaries, our level of self-awareness, and our unconscious beliefs and fears. Badass Habits features Jen's trademark hilarious voice and offers a much-needed fresh take on the conventional wisdom and science that shape the optimism (or pessimism?) around the age-old topic of habits. The book includes enlightening interviews with people who've successfully strengthened their discipline backbones, new perspective on how to train our brains to become our best selves, and offers a simple, 21 day, step-by-step guide for ditching habits that don't serve us and developing the habits we deem most important. Habits shouldn't be impossible to reset--and with healthy boundaries, knowledge of--and permission to go after--our desires, and an easy to implement plan of action, we can make any new goal a joyful habit.
