If you could do something simple, safe, and free to dramatically improve your mental, physical, and psychological health, would you do it? The opportunity is yours starting tonight--all you have to do is go to bed earlier! The majority of Americans suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. Most of us get between one-half to two fewer hours of sleep each night than we need in order to be fully alert during the day. One hundred years ago, Americans slept on average one and a half more hours each night than we do now. With the advent of electric lights, sleep times decreased dramatically. Today, we live in a 24-hour nonstop culture, but our bodies still require sleep for about one-third of every day.

1 Many people view sleep as a luxury or a waste of time. Being able to function without sleep is considered macho. But sleep is absolutely essential for life and health. Humans and other animals who are deprived of sleep for many days will become ill and even die. Less extreme sleep deprivation over a long period of time makes us vulnerable to a wide variety of illnesses including CVD (cardiovascular disease), diabetes, high blood pressure, and psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. Inadequate sleep also depresses the immune system, making people more likely to become ill with infectious diseases. Inadequate sleep affects learning, memory, and attention span, all critical to academic performance. Athletes who fail to get sufficient sleep cannot perform at their peak because fatigue slows reaction time and lessens endurance. Every aspect of life is easier and more pleasurable when you are well rested.

2 Sleep deprivation also takes a huge toll on society as a whole. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that sleepy employees cost U.S. businesses $18 billion every year in lost productivity alone. The costs are much higher if you factor in mistakes, accidents, and health problems caused by lack of sleep. Drowsiness is estimated to be a factor in at least one-third of all auto crashes; it impairs driving ability as much as alcohol use. Many of us think that no matter how tired we may be, we can force ourselves to be alert. Researchers have found that people who are sleep deprived may think they are wide awake but often fall asleep at the wheel for brief periods without even realizing it.

3 College students are particularly vulnerable to sleep deprivation and poor quality of sleep. Most students lead hectic lives as they juggle studies, work, socializing, and family obligations. Students who live in dormitories are often awakened by nighttime noise. Partying, especially if alcohol and other drugs are used, further disrupts sleep. Students who are out partying several nights a week are likely to be significantly sleep deprived, increasing the risk of school failure, car crashes, and illnesses such as frequent colds. To make matters worse, teens and young adults actually need more sleep than older individuals--more than 9 hours of sleep a night-to be well rested.

4 Financial necessity dictates that many students work part time or even full time. Realistically, there are only so many hours in the day, and many working students find it nearly impossible to get enough sleep to function well in school or at work. What can you do if you are faced with this dilemma? Cut back on work hours if at all possible. Financial aid or a loan from a family member may be what it takes to get your life under control. Taking an extra year to get your degree may be worth it to preserve your health and happiness.

5 How do you know if you're getting enough sleep? If you need an alarm to get yourself up every morning, rather than awakening naturally at the appropriate time, chances are you are significantly sleep deprived. Another clue is if you fall asleep within just a few minutes of getting into bed, or if you fall asleep during the day when you don't intend to, such as during lectures or while reading or watching TV.

6 Sleep you need but don't get is referred to as "sleep debt." Whenever you get less sleep than your body requires, you add to your sleep debt. Week after week, sleep debt can build, leaving you chronically groggy. If you have a large sleep debt, sleeping in a few extra hours on the weekends won't solve the problem, although it can help a bit. The real solution is to make sleep a priority in your daily life.

7 Remember that the time you spend sleeping will pay for itself in increased productivity. For example, if you go to bed one hour earlier instead of trying to study when you're half awake, you are likely to get the work done in a fraction of the time when you're more alert the next day. Knowing that the quality of your life depends on getting adequate sleep, make sleep a priority part of your wellness lifestyle.

Source: Thomas Fahey, Paul Insel, and Walton Roth. Fit and Well, 8th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2003, p. 185.

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