Connie Goldsmith

Young adults need eight to ten hours of sleep each night, yet nearly half fail to get the sleep they need, and nearly a third have fallen asleep in school due to insufficient sleep. So many Americans―both teens and adults―lack quality sleep that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls sleep deprivation a public health epidemic. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to poor performance during the day and impacts stress levels, academic performance, and physical and mental health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that sleeping difficulties contribute to one-third of auto accidents. And drowsy-driving can lead to fatalities.