Everybody knows sleep is important, but she writes about numerous scientific studies and anecdotal evidence that strongly suggest it is not just more important than you think — but is far more important than you ever suspected.  The most important thing you can do each morning is to plan for and protect your sleep for that night.

Everybody knows the basics of sleeping better, i.e., don’t eat a heavy meal, go to bed earlier, cut off the TV and other electronic devices, etc.  Now, do you follow those rules faithfully and religiously . . . or only when convenient?

Everybody knows alcohol is bad for you. but did you know that, while it can increase the quantity of your sleep, it reduces the quality of your sleep?  Higher quality is more important than higher quantity.

She does pose an interesting question:  when there must be trade-offs between eating, exercising, and sleeping, why is it that sleep is the first to be short-changed?  In our competitive society, why do we brag about how little we sleep, instead of being ashamed?  What is the value of eating and exercising intelligently, if you sleep stupidly?

How can you manage your health if you have a flippant attitude toward sleep?