Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker gives you every reason you need to stop reading and take a snooze. The facts and ideas were interesting, but the writing was not. This skimmable tome tours a lot of research on sleep, some of it that might be questionable. Despite the criticisms, the message and conclusion are still solid: sleep is important and we should be getting more.

This book is for anyone who wants a tour of sleep science and arguments to share with colleagues that think sleep is not important. If you are being overworked it makes a great gift for your manager. In addition to the science, it touches on important public policy issues: why school starts too early for young people, why you should not drive drowsy, and why you should ask your surgeon how long they slept last night. Thinking about these issues is sure to keep you awake and were the best sections of the book.

If you already believe sleep is important and are sleeping well then you probably should not bother reading this book. While you will learn some new things, you are not going to change your habits or be surprised to learn you’re more productive and alert when you have proper sleep. If you do not know about the benefits of sleep and are considering changing your lifestyle to include more of it, this book gives you many reasons to take action. If you are a policymaker or manager this tome provides evidence you need to make decisions and persuade stakeholders. Read it for the data, not the writing.