Sleepless Planet
A Graphic Guide to Healing from Insomnia
Maureen Burdock
“Restless readers would benefit from putting this on their nightstand.”
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects roughly one in four people in the industrialized world. Typical treatments are often ineffective and have undesirable side effects. For those of us yearning for a restful night’s sleep in a world that never stops turning, it’s hard to know how to find relief.
Part graphic nonfiction and part comics diary, this guide offers an insightful look at the science of sleep and the cultural forces contributing to the modern insomnia epidemic. In it, Maureen Burdock shares a deeply personal journey of navigating sleep disturbance from childhood through perimenopause. As she grapples with the physical, mental, and emotional toll of sleepless nights, Burdock explores a range of popular treatments—consulting sleep specialists and testing THC sleep aids, mouth taping, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Along the way, Burdock reveals how rewilding her life—through diet, meditation, education, and mindfulness—helped her find balance and ultimately reclaim her sleep.
With humor and vulnerability, Sleepless Planet invites readers to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and seek their own path to healing. Whether you’re a chronic insomniac or simply seeking better sleep, this book is a visually rich and empowering companion on the journey toward rest.
“Restless readers would benefit from putting this on their nightstand.”
“Sleep is a constant subject in our lives, but even if you feel you’ve exhausted (pun intended) all the sleep content avenues, Burdock’s book likely contains new information. Her own deep research is evident, and we learned many surprising and useful tidbits, such as how using a didgeridoo can play a role in good sleep. Like much impactful graphic medicine, it’s a comic that inspires self-examination of your own health and well-being.”
“By blending sleep science with cultural and historical analysis, while also offering practical tips for those struggling with sleep, Sleepless Planet emerges as a resourceful, graphic, medical narrative that thoughtfully addresses a range of questions surrounding our complex relationship with sleep.”
“Sleepless Planet is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel and a well-organized, well-written story of the author's own elusive quest for restful sleep. Simultaneously a scientific primer, a personal memoir, and a practical guide, it offers anyone who has struggled with sleepless nights hope as well as practical strategies for success. Each carefully constructed section addresses the essential groundwork that should be done before delving into the more complex neurochemical mechanisms that underlie insomnia.”
“‘Read this book now!’ should be shouted from rooftops. In this gorgeously illustrated, deeply researched book, we come face-to-face with holistic solutions to our complex challenges with sleep. This book holds the potential to improve not just our sleep but every aspect of our health.”
“Sleep is top priority for our mental health, but who doesn’t have sleeping troubles? With beautiful art, personal stories, scientific information, and the occasional koala bear, Maureen Burdock leads us from sleepless nights to sweet dreams.”
“Smart, honest, and soothing for anyone tired of being tired—a wittily drawn guide for everyone worn down by our 24/7 society.”
Maureen Burdock is an illustrator, comics creator, cultural studies scholar, and teacher. She is also an integrative nutrition health coach and the owner of Burdock Wellness, www.burdockwellness.com. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Queen of Snails: A Graphic Memoir, also published by Graphic Mundi. Burdock is currently based in the Netherlands, where she lives with her wife and boxer dog. After almost five decades of coping with insomnia, she now sleeps much better.