13 Reasons Not To Skimp On Sleep

By Sarah Baldauf and Angela Haupt for U.S. News Health

It's National Sleep Awareness Week. Before hitting snooze on this news, consider that scheduling a good night's sleep could be one of the smartest health priorities you set.

It's not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to nine hours. (More than 35 percent of adults routinely clock less than seven hours per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.) Possible health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder -- such as insomnia or sleep apnea -- that affects daily functioning and impinges on health. Here's a look at the research:

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