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The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night
Supported by case studies, background information, exercises, key summaries and client testimonials, and enhanced with illustrations and visual aids, THE SLEEP BOOK teaches a revolutionary new method for combating insomnia.
Chronic insomnia affects 15% of the UK population, and most insomniacs invest huge amount of time, effort, energy, emotion and money into fixing the problem. But Dr Guy Meadows has discovered that the secret to good sleep lies not in what you do, but what you learn not to do.
THE SLEEP BOOK is the sum of a doctorate degree in sleep and well over 12,000 hours spent working with more than 2,000 insomniacs in one-to-one clinics, workshops and retreat environments. The Sleep School Approach teaches insomniacs that relinquishing the need to control sleep or by trying to avoid uncomfortable sensations that occur in the middle of the night by getting out of bed and 'doing' other things only strengthens insomnia and prolongs its vicious cycle.
This book provides a highly effective process to help people overcome chronic insomnia for good, and shows how sleep needn't be a struggle.
Chronic insomnia affects 15% of the UK population, and most insomniacs invest huge amount of time, effort, energy, emotion and money into fixing the problem. But Dr Guy Meadows has discovered that the secret to good sleep lies not in what you do, but what you learn not to do.
THE SLEEP BOOK is the sum of a doctorate degree in sleep and well over 12,000 hours spent working with more than 2,000 insomniacs in one-to-one clinics, workshops and retreat environments. The Sleep School Approach teaches insomniacs that relinquishing the need to control sleep or by trying to avoid uncomfortable sensations that occur in the middle of the night by getting out of bed and 'doing' other things only strengthens insomnia and prolongs its vicious cycle.
This book provides a highly effective process to help people overcome chronic insomnia for good, and shows how sleep needn't be a struggle.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2014
358 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 20, 2020
I had brutal insomnia for years (often only getting an hour or two of sleep). I tried the NHS course which involved sleep restriction etc and this made things worse. I tried Zopiclone and many other pills and potions and they just made things worse. In the end this book, along with mindfulness meditation, yoga and exercise pretty much cured it. I now don’t care whether I sleep or not, as know I can cope regardless, and I sleep well most nights. Everyone’s insomnia is different, so what works for some may not for others, and his approach sounds simple but is actually difficult to genuinely put into practice. It is easy just to say to yourself you accept, but it is another matter for your subconscious to actually do so.
January 24, 2018
I liked the author's arguments about Insomnia but he stretched the book too much!
This book should be of 1/3rd of its size, every other statement is just the repeated version of older statement!
The whole book can be summarised in 3 points:
1) Insomnia is normal, nearly everyone suffers from it at various points in their life.
2) Your struggle with insomnia makes it worse! Accepting insomnia is the only permanent cure.
3) Practising mindfulness will help you to deal with anxiety related to insomnia.
yes, that's all!
The author also talked a bit about "sleep cycles" & various hormones related to inducing sleep, which I found interesting.
How to read the book? Well, just read the "case studies" & "sleep facts" and the very first chapter, skip the rest!
I would have rated it 5 stars only if it wasn't this much stretched.
This book should be of 1/3rd of its size, every other statement is just the repeated version of older statement!
The whole book can be summarised in 3 points:
1) Insomnia is normal, nearly everyone suffers from it at various points in their life.
2) Your struggle with insomnia makes it worse! Accepting insomnia is the only permanent cure.
3) Practising mindfulness will help you to deal with anxiety related to insomnia.
yes, that's all!
The author also talked a bit about "sleep cycles" & various hormones related to inducing sleep, which I found interesting.
How to read the book? Well, just read the "case studies" & "sleep facts" and the very first chapter, skip the rest!
I would have rated it 5 stars only if it wasn't this much stretched.
April 4, 2024
I read this book in about 2 hours because it really spoke to me. Many of my sleep issues tend to come from anxiety and I've spent my whole life trying to fight them. I can't say this book has done anything for me yet as I only got it today, but I really like the ideas contained within.
February 28, 2025
Insomnia has turned me into a self-help person, god help me!
March 3, 2023
This book (and the app which has developed from it) has helped me to heal from a very frightening and extended episode of insomnia.
I bought the book to see if it had anything new to offer me, as I already meditate (although I was struggling to take mindfulness out of my practice and into my life) and I have had CBT which I have found useful.
The concept the book teaches is simple, though it takes a lot of hard work to put into practice. The repetition of the concepts may jar with some, I personally find that when learning a new skill, repetition is important in cementing habits. Also, if you are not sleeping it is very likely you are having memory issues and, believe me, you need to be told repeatedly so that the information sinks in enough to be helpful to you.
While CBT teaches you to investigate your thoughts, Guy Meadows' approach is instead to practise accepting them and accepting your experience of sleep, whatever that may be for you. This is not easy, but the book gives you skills to practise during the day which will support you at bedtime and throughout the night - teaching you to be mindful throughout your day and helping you to stop struggling with your sleep (which compounds insomnia). This book also mentions recent research which has overturned a lot of sleep advice you have probably been given over the years, such as 'get up and read/do something useful if you can't sleep'.
Within a week of reading this book and putting the skills into practice, my sleep was starting to improve. Several months later, while I still don't sleep as well as I might like all the time, now I know that even when I don't sleep well it will be ok and I know how to get the best out of the rest I can get. I will be hanging onto this book on case I ever need a refresher.
I bought the book to see if it had anything new to offer me, as I already meditate (although I was struggling to take mindfulness out of my practice and into my life) and I have had CBT which I have found useful.
The concept the book teaches is simple, though it takes a lot of hard work to put into practice. The repetition of the concepts may jar with some, I personally find that when learning a new skill, repetition is important in cementing habits. Also, if you are not sleeping it is very likely you are having memory issues and, believe me, you need to be told repeatedly so that the information sinks in enough to be helpful to you.
While CBT teaches you to investigate your thoughts, Guy Meadows' approach is instead to practise accepting them and accepting your experience of sleep, whatever that may be for you. This is not easy, but the book gives you skills to practise during the day which will support you at bedtime and throughout the night - teaching you to be mindful throughout your day and helping you to stop struggling with your sleep (which compounds insomnia). This book also mentions recent research which has overturned a lot of sleep advice you have probably been given over the years, such as 'get up and read/do something useful if you can't sleep'.
Within a week of reading this book and putting the skills into practice, my sleep was starting to improve. Several months later, while I still don't sleep as well as I might like all the time, now I know that even when I don't sleep well it will be ok and I know how to get the best out of the rest I can get. I will be hanging onto this book on case I ever need a refresher.
August 23, 2018
I read this book (and attended one of Dr. Guy Meadows' workshops in London) at the height of my chronic insomnia 3 years ago. I've since re-read it and know that I can pick it up again if I ever have a bad phase and want to brush up.
In short I found the book life-changing. Amongst numerous other lifestyle changes in an ongoing project of self-help and improvement, including cultivating a solid mindfulness meditation practice, I have managed to cure my insomnia to the point that I no longer dread going to bed.
Unlike other reviewers who found the repetition annoying I found it very useful. Whilst the book can be distilled to a few key points, they really do need to explored in depth and fully understood by the reader to be properly implemented.
The key thing is you need to be open and willing to change your view on sleep & insomnia. Could it be the other reviewers with negative reviews were in a foul / closed mood given their lack of sleep? I have friends who complain about bad insomnia but seem unwilling to change their lifestyle and invest heavily in time and effort to fix things.
In short I found the book life-changing. Amongst numerous other lifestyle changes in an ongoing project of self-help and improvement, including cultivating a solid mindfulness meditation practice, I have managed to cure my insomnia to the point that I no longer dread going to bed.
Unlike other reviewers who found the repetition annoying I found it very useful. Whilst the book can be distilled to a few key points, they really do need to explored in depth and fully understood by the reader to be properly implemented.
The key thing is you need to be open and willing to change your view on sleep & insomnia. Could it be the other reviewers with negative reviews were in a foul / closed mood given their lack of sleep? I have friends who complain about bad insomnia but seem unwilling to change their lifestyle and invest heavily in time and effort to fix things.
March 3, 2018
I like the mindfulness approach to fighting insomnia, instead of relying on a bunch of cheap tricks. That's also an approach you can use for other areas of your life. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their sleep.
January 19, 2023
I’m giving it 3* for now, will see how it goes after a few months of following the advice, which seems to be ‘stop fighting insomnia and relax into it.’ It is also aimed at veteran chronic insomniacs.
October 16, 2020
This was an interesting at times repetitive exploration of current theories relating to reasons for and treatment of insomnia.
June 29, 2021
+ One of the only sleep books I’ve found that isn’t predominantly a science/history of sleep but instead purely based around insomnia.
- I did find the book very negative overall and made me more conscious.
- Some techniques are helpful but definitely not worth going through the whole book, with it’s repetitive stress.
- I did find the book very negative overall and made me more conscious.
- Some techniques are helpful but definitely not worth going through the whole book, with it’s repetitive stress.
April 18, 2023
Great easy to follow and useful.
January 9, 2024
Really good book - really explains why the old school CBT-I techniques are not always helpful. Great complement to Daniel Erichsen
June 20, 2024
Disappointing - too long due to endless repetition- very vague with no specific answers.
November 19, 2025
This fixed my insomnia almost overnight (hehe)
February 2, 2019
Disappointing read.
First of all, I'm very skeptical of the overall claim of the book, that in some form, insomnia is caused by the fear and anxiety of insomnia itself. While I don't doubt that can be the case, he authors suggest that this is universal, almost without exception. Likely due to some form selection bias from his anecdotes.
Second, the book is incredibly repetitive. You could have easily condensed everything that was said in 1/3 of the pages. Sometimes I felt like he was just repeating the same thing over and over again to add more content.
Perhaps a good book if someone is dealing with insomnia and they're high in neuroticism, with some decent advice for mindfulness. But as an overall sleep book, which it claims to be, it's not worth it.
First of all, I'm very skeptical of the overall claim of the book, that in some form, insomnia is caused by the fear and anxiety of insomnia itself. While I don't doubt that can be the case, he authors suggest that this is universal, almost without exception. Likely due to some form selection bias from his anecdotes.
Second, the book is incredibly repetitive. You could have easily condensed everything that was said in 1/3 of the pages. Sometimes I felt like he was just repeating the same thing over and over again to add more content.
Perhaps a good book if someone is dealing with insomnia and they're high in neuroticism, with some decent advice for mindfulness. But as an overall sleep book, which it claims to be, it's not worth it.
October 16, 2018
A charlatan selling his snake oil. First of all the "Dr" from the cover is not a medic. He has a PhD with an unspecified theme in Psychology. Does it work? Well Helena (sole name) from Everywhere, UK and Sam (sole name) from another Everywhere, UK are ready to swear it works. What more proof would anyone need?
And the instructions are straightforward, like with any snake oil salesman:
> Become more mindful and live in the now.
Hence zombies stand no chance, as they lived some time in the past.
Also people living in London can only improve their sleep if they give up their careers and move to this magical place called *now* with minuscule.
And the instructions are straightforward, like with any snake oil salesman:
> Become more mindful and live in the now.
Hence zombies stand no chance, as they lived some time in the past.
Also people living in London can only improve their sleep if they give up their careers and move to this magical place called *now* with minuscule.
January 12, 2023
This book was exactly what I needed, and certainly not snake oil... Yes, it came at a time when I was managing to iron out some other pretty big creases in my life, but I'd lived over 20 years with chronic insomnia and tried all the medication and different wifes tales but with no joy... This book made perfect sense and low key the back to basics approach worked a treat for me and I can happily say that a lack of sleep is no longer an issue for me... Thanks Guy, this book has literally been life changing...
March 21, 2024
I couldn't recommend this one enough! I have some problems with insomnia from time to time and it really helped me deal with this situation. The mindfullness approach really worked for me and I extended the benefits to other areas of my life. In contrast to other books, this one teaches you how to live and enjoy your life with insomnia rather than giving you a to-do list and wait for it to get better. Really life changing!
May 11, 2017
Great approach
CBT techniques seem to push away thoughts and feeling which inevitably makes them come back stronger eventually. This approach teaches how to be at peace with all your uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in order to gain better sleep.
CBT techniques seem to push away thoughts and feeling which inevitably makes them come back stronger eventually. This approach teaches how to be at peace with all your uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in order to gain better sleep.
September 9, 2023
Highly recommended for insomniacs. There is a lot of advice out there about sleep, some good, some terrible. This book only contains good advice and is well written too.
March 26, 2025
I just finished The Sleep Book. It is transformational and I’ve already applied all the advice. I kept a notebook of quotes and points to remember and apply. I read it and applied it in a flat week. I’m already sleeping much better simply by accepting and welcoming the discomfort and original pain, making space, being mindful stopping to 'smell the roses' and recognising that not having a good sleep rhythm has contributed to my adrenaline cycle. I’ve stopped using ear plugs, eye mask and antihistamine to help me sleep and am rebuilding my trust in my body’s natural ability to fall to sleep. When faced with noise, or when thoughts, emotions, sensations or urges arrive, I no longer fight them which was inadvertently training my mind that sleep was the enemy. I will be sharing the ACT approach to insomnia with those I encounter who struggle with this. I originally found this book as it was recommended in "A Liberated Mind" by Steven C. Hayes, PhD. My son, who is a psychiatrist in Ireland, had purchased Haye’s book for my birthday. This book teaches ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). The Sleep Book uses ACT principles and applies them to insomnia. I have undoubtedly had a breakthrough in my sleep and understanding of how we respond to our insomnia determines our insomnia. Thank you Dr Meadows and The Sleep School!
September 21, 2021
Well, let me just start by saying this book was definitely not for me... As you can kind of tell by how long it took me to actually read this. There are two main reasons why I really struggled to connect with The Sleep Book:
1. I’m not an insomniac, I just struggle falling asleep and waking up, and this book is really only aimed at people who have full on insomnia and no one else.
2. The advice and ‘programme’ in this book follows a very basic meditation/mindfulness method and as someone who has a Headspace account and actively meditates everyday, I knew all of this advice already and didn’t really gain anything new from it.
Another big issue I had with The Sleep Book, is that it was very long winded (which is saying something for a book that is only 200 pages long!). Meadows’ repeats himself a lot and has very little facts and figures to back up his method or to explain why other methods are inadequate.
I personally think this book would have been better as 1,000 word blog article rather than a 200 paged book.
1. I’m not an insomniac, I just struggle falling asleep and waking up, and this book is really only aimed at people who have full on insomnia and no one else.
2. The advice and ‘programme’ in this book follows a very basic meditation/mindfulness method and as someone who has a Headspace account and actively meditates everyday, I knew all of this advice already and didn’t really gain anything new from it.
Another big issue I had with The Sleep Book, is that it was very long winded (which is saying something for a book that is only 200 pages long!). Meadows’ repeats himself a lot and has very little facts and figures to back up his method or to explain why other methods are inadequate.
I personally think this book would have been better as 1,000 word blog article rather than a 200 paged book.
January 19, 2022
Most items I already knew and the main theme of the entire book is "stop obsessing over your insomnia as that's perpetuating it."
Here are my top takeaways:
Week 1: Discover
Journal what amplifiers you are using to help you sleep.
Week 2: Accept
Accept that you will fail as it's part of the process.
Accept that it'll hurt and stop fighting.
Mindfulness is a huge part of the process.
Spend 10 seconds on each sense of what you're experiencing.
LEARN TO label your thoughts so can observe them instead of getting stuck in them.
Week 3: Welcome
Don't fight
Accept where you are.
Week 4: Build
ROUTINE:
30 MINUTES WIND DOWN (NO TV/PHONE)
WARM DRINK (MAGNESIUM) FLOSS, BRUSH.
READ OR LIGHT TALK.
10-20 MIN NAP DURING DAY CAN HELP AFTER LUNCH AMD BEFORE 3pm.
HAVE A DARK ROOM AND TEMP AT 63-66 DEGREES.
DON'T EAT 3-4 HOURS BEFORE BED.
WORKOUT DAILY.
WEEK 5: Beyond
Here are my top takeaways:
Week 1: Discover
Journal what amplifiers you are using to help you sleep.
Week 2: Accept
Accept that you will fail as it's part of the process.
Accept that it'll hurt and stop fighting.
Mindfulness is a huge part of the process.
Spend 10 seconds on each sense of what you're experiencing.
LEARN TO label your thoughts so can observe them instead of getting stuck in them.
Week 3: Welcome
Don't fight
Accept where you are.
Week 4: Build
ROUTINE:
30 MINUTES WIND DOWN (NO TV/PHONE)
WARM DRINK (MAGNESIUM) FLOSS, BRUSH.
READ OR LIGHT TALK.
10-20 MIN NAP DURING DAY CAN HELP AFTER LUNCH AMD BEFORE 3pm.
HAVE A DARK ROOM AND TEMP AT 63-66 DEGREES.
DON'T EAT 3-4 HOURS BEFORE BED.
WORKOUT DAILY.
WEEK 5: Beyond
February 28, 2025
The Sleep Book presents a five-week approach to improving sleep, rooted in psychology but taking a different path from traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Instead, it leans heavily on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), encouraging you to accept insomnia, be present with it, and ultimately return to sleeping like a “normal sleeper.” I found this phrase particularly interesting—it serves as a kind of guiding principle throughout the book.
The book goes beyond the usual advice about sleep hygiene and cutting back on caffeine. Instead, it focuses on changing how you relate to insomnia itself, making it less of a struggle.
The writing style is very much in the self-help tradition, which isn’t my favorite, but it’s passable.
Since I’ve had sleep issues for my whole adult life, I found some of the book’s insights genuinely helpful. I’d recommend it to anyone who struggles with sleep. 4/5.
Instead, it leans heavily on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), encouraging you to accept insomnia, be present with it, and ultimately return to sleeping like a “normal sleeper.” I found this phrase particularly interesting—it serves as a kind of guiding principle throughout the book.
The book goes beyond the usual advice about sleep hygiene and cutting back on caffeine. Instead, it focuses on changing how you relate to insomnia itself, making it less of a struggle.
The writing style is very much in the self-help tradition, which isn’t my favorite, but it’s passable.
Since I’ve had sleep issues for my whole adult life, I found some of the book’s insights genuinely helpful. I’d recommend it to anyone who struggles with sleep. 4/5.
August 3, 2019
I received this book as a surprise present from my partner, who knows I have a history of sleep-related issues & thought it might help.
And I have to say it did! It’s a very easy book to read and digest, has a calm & peaceful style, and really does give some very useful tips.
It’s also very ‘English’ - as opposed to the usual American self-help books I’ve encountered in the past, and avoids the cliches those books sometimes have.
I’ve done a mindfulness course in the past, but I have to say this book has the best description of mindfulness I’ve ever read!
Guy Meadows has really nailed it, and to me this section of the book was the part that really resonated with me the most, & has undoubtedly benefited my sleep.
I’d certainly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced sleep issues, and would like fresh insights into how these can be managed.
And I have to say it did! It’s a very easy book to read and digest, has a calm & peaceful style, and really does give some very useful tips.
It’s also very ‘English’ - as opposed to the usual American self-help books I’ve encountered in the past, and avoids the cliches those books sometimes have.
I’ve done a mindfulness course in the past, but I have to say this book has the best description of mindfulness I’ve ever read!
Guy Meadows has really nailed it, and to me this section of the book was the part that really resonated with me the most, & has undoubtedly benefited my sleep.
I’d certainly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced sleep issues, and would like fresh insights into how these can be managed.
March 22, 2023
I think this book was a decent read, although I am not the target audience for this book as it seems heavily catered towards people with debhilitating insomnia. That said, I think it hits on topics of mindfulness, acceptance and providing a structure to normal sleeping very well.
The book is written well and in a manner that is easy to follow, although there are bouts of repetition. My main gripe is that the book feels like a sales course for the in-person course, rather than noting it down concisely. Additionally although this is minor, I'm slightly disappointed that in a book regarding sleep and from a Dr. well versed in this the references section does feel a bit bare. But all in all, a great read and has good self-help tips!
The book is written well and in a manner that is easy to follow, although there are bouts of repetition. My main gripe is that the book feels like a sales course for the in-person course, rather than noting it down concisely. Additionally although this is minor, I'm slightly disappointed that in a book regarding sleep and from a Dr. well versed in this the references section does feel a bit bare. But all in all, a great read and has good self-help tips!
April 11, 2025
Honestly this book did not help at all and in fact contradicted a lot of what I read by Gregg Jacobs and Stephanie Silberman, two other books on insomnia that I read earlier this year after struggling with onset insomnia. Both of the other authors gave well-thought-out arguments based in science, whereas Meadows more seemed to be winging it.
Simple things such as staying in bed or leaving bed when unable to fall asleep, or whether using a few strategies to help get in the mood for sleeping, are just a few of examples in which Meadows completely contradicts his peers.
Not for me.
Simple things such as staying in bed or leaving bed when unable to fall asleep, or whether using a few strategies to help get in the mood for sleeping, are just a few of examples in which Meadows completely contradicts his peers.
Not for me.
September 6, 2025
This book honestly does help you get over insomnia - I’ve slept better than I have in years. However it definitely was full of fluff and could have been way shorter. It repeats a lot over & over and towards the end you can just skim through and know that you’ve probably already read it in the first two chapters. But the approach he uses anout letting go and stop fighting definitely works - even if it goes against everything you thought you should do !
March 19, 2021
Amazing book, helped me a lot during a very rough time (2020 quarantine), when I started suffering from insomnia.
It can be a bit repetitive, but it's not a long book and the I really liked the author's approach. Solid advice, if you're experiencing insomnia I recommend you to give it a try, might be worth it.
It can be a bit repetitive, but it's not a long book and the I really liked the author's approach. Solid advice, if you're experiencing insomnia I recommend you to give it a try, might be worth it.
April 3, 2022
While am interesting look at insomnia and sleep in general, it was far too repetitive at times where the author could have maybe gone in to more detail about the science of sleeping and it’s benefits. Or just simply made the book about 30% shorter.
A good read for anyone with insomnia but not for those with just an interest in the subject.
A good read for anyone with insomnia but not for those with just an interest in the subject.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews