Getting Enough SleepDid you know that sleep is one of life's most vital necessities? Laboratory animals die when deprived of sleep, and similarly, humans might die too (Johnson 5). Many people don't realize how important sleep is. The man who tries to do 15 hours of work only gets hurt in just 7 hours. This man who stays up late trying to finish his work believes that he is working hard and therefore will be able to sleep soundly for a while. This is definitely not the case as each morning you will feel less and less rested and each day you will feel more and more tired. What the public needs is to be informed about good sleep habits and sleep disorders that go unnoticed. We should realize the importance of sleep and how the amount of sleep not only affects oneself but also society. In 1959, the American Cancer Society surveyed more than 1 million Americans about their sleep habits. The conclusions drawn from the study showed that people who slept less than 7-8 hours per night on average had a higher mortality rate. A six-year follow-up was carried out on the people interviewed. The results showed that men aged 30 or older who slept 4 hours a night had more than double the risk of dying compared to men who slept an average of 7-8 hours. The risk was only about 1.5 times greater for women. Similar results were found in a different study of 4,713 people. Those who slept 6 hours or less had a 30% higher mortality rate (Pressman 29). Even though we can see what happens when people don't get enough sleep, scientists still can't explain the function of sleep. The amount of sleep not only affects mortality but also personality. Some people are naturally long sleepers, while others who suffer from insomnia may benefit from restructuring their bedtime habits and sleep-wake cycles. With 7-8 hours of sleep a night, there will be much less problems with sleep disorders, car and airplane accidents, and other health problems. Shakespeare once described sleep as “the great restorer.” We must understand the function and importance of sleep and relate it to improving our health and body. For our country to continue to be a world leader, the people of the United States should not have to deal with fatigue and should have an optimal level of attention and performance. Works Cited Johnson, Laverne and Paul Naitoh. The operational consequences of sleep deprivation and sleep deficit. San Diego: AGARD, 1974.Pressman, Mark R. and William C. Orr. Understanding sleep. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1997.