We're not sleeping enough!

"I'll sleep when I die," is the attitude of millions of people who get to bed too late and get up too early, leaving insufficient time in between for adequate sleep. Getting sufficient sleep is important for the mental and physical health of all people - whether healthcare providers or patients. Unfortunately, cultural values tend to neglect the importance of sleep and society undermines opportunities to achieve an optimum amount of sleep. Both lifestyle choices and schedules for work and school challenge the natural biological drive to sleep ∼8 hours most nights. The result is varying degrees of chronic sleep deprivation resulting in daytime sleepiness and cognitive impairment, dependence on caffeine, and an increased risk for assorted health problems.