As the pace of life gets more hectic, sleep tends to get short shrift. It's seen as wasted time. But lack of sleep actually reduces your productivity and puts your health at risk.
Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1880, people slept an average of 10 hours a night. These days, Americans sleep an average of 6.9 hours on weeknights and 7.5 hours a night on weekends. Experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep each night, but the amount needed for an individual can vary.
Sleep deprivation has been linked to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, depression and substance abuse.