We spend roughly a third of our lives asleep, but know very little about what happens once we shut our eyes and drift off. David Randall has had trouble sleeping for most of his life. One particularly bad night inspired him to learn everything he could about the process.
Randall was inspired to embark on a quest to understand the science of sleep. He has since been diagnosed with non-REM arousal parasomnia, a disruptive sleep disorder that can cause night terrors and sleepwalking.
In his book Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep , he presents what he's learned about sleep deprivation, dream interpretation and the explanations for his own bizarre sleeping habits.