Life Time

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A GUIDE TO USING THE SCIENCE OF THE BODY CLOCK TO CREATE THE OPTIMUM PERSONAL ROUTINE. SLEEP BETTER, WORK BETTER, FEEL BETTER.


Every second of the day, tiny biological clocks are ticking throughout your body, from the neural pathways of your brain to your very cells. But modern life is disrupting this ancient and delicate mechanism in ways we are only just beginning to understand. Artificial light, jet lag, night shifts, air pollution, and out-of-sync work and meal routines are conspiring to push us out of joint. This is not only exacerbating mental health issues such as depression and fatigue, but also increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease, dementia and even cancer.

In Life Time, Professor Russell Foster, a world-leading expert on circadian neuroscience, takes us on a fascinating journey through our days and nights. Using surprising examples and cutting-edge science, he busts long-standing myths about the best daily routine: from how to use light for a better night's sleep to using meal times to supercharge your metabolism, from the optimal time to have sex for conception to the extraordinary effects the time we take medication can have on our risk of life-threatening conditions such as strokes.

Holistic yet accessible, Professor Foster helps each of us achieve the optimum natural routine with insight into:

- How to sleep and wake in your natural rhythm from birth to old age
- The natural time to eat to supercharge your metabolism
- How medicating at certain times of day can improve immunity

In the 21st Century, we have thrown away an essential part of our biology. But using science, we can get back into the rhythm, and live healthier, sharper lives.

© Russell Foster 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Critics Review

  • ‘A superlative guide to some of the most intriguing questions of human existence’

    Bill Bryson, author of The Body: A Guide for Occupants
  • A comprehensive manifesto for living in harmony with our body clocks, penned by someone who has devoted his career to studying them.

    Financial Times
  • ‘Who knew that everything, I mean everything to do with our health is influenced by our circadian rhythms and sleep: physical and mental health, immune functioning, disease, fertility, relationships, energy, emotions, mood, work life, family life and happiness. This book tells you what to do to keep within your natural rhythm and how to do it. A perfect blend of humour, science and pure genius – what more could you want? Consider it an emergency to read’

    Ruby Wax
  • ‘Who knew our body clocks determined so much of our health, happiness, and lifespan? Renowned neuroscientist Russell Foster has spent four decades shining a light into the dimly understood and fascinating field of human biological rhythms. This book crisply summarizes what he’s discovered. I learned so much’

    James Nestor, author of Breath
  • ‘This book has the answers to everything you’ve ever wondered about your natural rhythms, from sleep to eating to exercise. Excellent, engaging and evidence-based, it’s a brilliant guide to an aspect of our health we don’t think about enough’

    Claudia Hammond, author of The Art of Rest
  • ‘Strongly recommended. You will sleep more deeply, be awake more fully, and live much more harmoniously with Russell Foster’s help’

    Anthony Seldon, author of The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister

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