"Mendelson presents an unusually compelling exploration of the study of sleep. Several features of this work contribute to its educational value. Mendelson's 40-odd years of engagement in sleep research and multiple publications establish his credentials. The text covers a comprehensive range of sleep topics, including the nature of sleep, sleep in humans contrasted with sleep in animals, the effects of sleep deprivation, hormones and sleep, and other topics. Readers get a stepwise, remarkably clear picture of experts' current understanding of the science of sleep along with physiological and psychological aspects and consequent social behaviors. The prose is of such high quality that it easily serves as a prime example of outstanding scientific writing, worthy of study by science graduate students. Another feature that contributes to the book's appeal, though not related to its scientific value, is its elegant design: decorative graphics grace the book's cover, text, figures, and tables. This volume, impressive on a coffee table, is for scientists and non-scientists alike. Highly recommended."
— CHOICE
"In this attractive, artistic, informative, engaging, and lucidly written book, Mendelson provides an excellent introduction to sleep science and sleep medicine. He very effectively communicates with personal insights and perspectives not possible in published meta-analyses, regulatory prescribing information, and formal clinical guidelines. The Science of Sleep would be a very good choice as an introductory textbook on sleep."
— Sleep and Vigilance
"Mendelson uses engaging material and employs interesting and vivid examples to explore topics such as the fundamentals of human sleep, differences in animal sleep patterns, and the basics of circadian rhythms, sleep disorders, and the effects of sleep deprivation. By outlining these pillars of sleep science, Mendelson successfully provides any reader—even those with little scientific background—with a sufficient breadth of knowledge regarding the current scientific understanding of sleep and its implications."
— Sleep