As anyone who has worked overtime to complete a project or stayed up through the night tending to a sick child can attest, lack of sleep affects just about everything - from well-being and personal relationships to job performance and alertness. And recent studies suggest that the repercussions of too little sleep aren't only personal: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy drivers caused roughly 100,000 crashes on our nation's highways in 1998. Likewise, accidents attributed to sleep-deprived workers cost the federal government and private businesses billions of dollars each year in workmen's compensation.
Getting a good night's sleep isn't something to just dream about, though. You also can't afford to ignore snoring. As our common sense tips show, a little planning and discipline are all that's needed to get eight hours of restorative zzz's.
