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A 2002 National Sleep Awareness poll found that forty-seven million American adults are not meeting their minimum sleep requirement of 7.5 to 8.5 hours per night. Less than six hours of restorative sleep can cause problems with coordination, reaction time and judgment. An article by Michael J. Breus, PhD, indicates that there is an increased mortality risk for those who sleep less than six to seven hours per night - a higher risk than smoking, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Lab rats who were denied the chance to rest died within two to three weeks.

Studies by the University of Colorado, San Diego, School of Medicine in 2002 found a prevalence and severity of sleep deprivation in our population. A significant number of people doing shift work and employers pushing workers to perform an increased number our hours mean less hours in the day for sleep. Increases in travel and other leisure activities also dip into the time available to acquire the rest our bodies need.

The list of adverse affects of sleep deprivation is almost endless. Tiredness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and irritability are among the minor symptoms that can arise with a lack of sleep. Prolonged deficiency in proper rest can weaken the immune system and leave the body susceptible to disease, including common viruses, diabetes and cancer.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation in children can often be mistaken as various behavior disorders including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These include moodiness and irritability, temper tantrums, a tendency to "explode" emotionally at slight provocation, over-active and hyperactive behavior. Children tend to speed up rather than slow down when they lack proper rest. Sleep loss causes a range of schooling problems, including behavior problems and poor concentration. Teenagers who are chronically sleep deprived can exhibit problems with impulse control, which in turn can lead to alcohol and drug use and abuse. Studies show that increasing your child's sleep by as little as thirty minutes per night can dramatically improve school performance.

It has long been known that psychiatric conditions can create sleep problems, but recent studies have revealed that sleep problems can create psychiatric conditions. A 2001 Study at the Chicago Medical Institute suggests that sleep deprivation may, however, be linked to serious mental diseases such as psychosis and bipolar disorder. An article from New Scientist, October 2007 issue, indicates that

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