Catch some Zzzs: Kids’ book explains the mysteries of sleep

Binghamton University Professor of Psychology Terrence Deak is no stranger to the rigors of writing and unraveling the mysteries of the human brain. He’s had many peer-reviewed articles published through the years in the field of neuroscience, and helps future researchers find their footing in the field.

Recently, though, he’s been writing for a different audience: elementary school kids.

Deak and his aunt, clinical psychologist and educator JoAnn Deak, recently published Good Night to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain, the latest in a series that JoAnn Deak started in 2010. In 2013, her nephew joined her as co-author for the second book in the series: The Owner’s Manual for Driving Your Adolescent Brain.

Geared toward children four to eight years old, this latest book explains what happens to the brain when we sleep and why a good night’s rest is critical, and is accompanied by cheerful artwork from illustrator Neely Daggett.

“The idea was to create a book that could be read to kids at night before bedtime and helps them to understand what happens in their brain while they sleep,” Terrence Deak said. “Sleep is still one of the greatest mysteries of the brain, and all organisms do it. Without effective sleep, you die; you simply can’t live without sleep.”

As a neuroscientist, Deak took the lead in writing this latest book; although not a sleep expert, he is deeply familiar with scientific literature related to the brain.

The resulting book is full of fascinating brain facts, all rooted in solid science. Here’s one: Your brain uses sleep both to remember and to forget. When you’re sleeping, what you learned during the day is consolidated in your brain for future recall. At the same time, sleep reduces the intense emotional charge of traumatic or difficult experiences, such as those associated with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The authors explain these concepts gently to their young audience in age-appropriate language. For example, they describe how the brain takes a bath at night, courtesy of the lymphatic system, which helps clear and drain away waste.

“That’s a big part of feeling refreshed in the morning,” Terrence Deak said. “While we try to keep things as positive as possible in the book, the toxic accumulation of waste materials in the brain from low sleep seems to be emerging as a critical vulnerability factor toward accelerated aging and maybe even Alzheimer’s disease.”

He has an idea for one more book in the series. Stay tuned to see what your fantastic, elastic brain will be up to next.

“I write for a living as a scientist, but writing in a way that will be accessible to younger kids is a special challenge,” he reflected. “It’s been really fun over the years to work closely with my aunt on this project.”