There is a need for a new way of working, one that is designed for the end-user, the worker, the human. It is not just about adding wellness programs to unhealthy work -- it is about designing work so that it is itself healthy.

More and more companies are enrolling their workforce in health and wellness programs to cut staggering health care costs, reduce absenteeism and foster productivity as well as morale and loyalty, according to several studies on recent changes in employer-based health care policies.

According to Dr. William Dement of Stanford University, for most Americans, sleep debt occurs so gradually that people often attribute their fatigue to other things such as stress or illness. The travel industry has taken notice, and the newest emerging trend for 2012 is sleep vacations.

Innovation in the prevention of disease will be the key factor in realizing affordable healthcare. The paradigm shift is the result of maddening increases in medical insurance over the past decade.

The average American spends 47 hours a week at work. Since most people spend more hours at work than they do anywhere else, improving employee health could be key to solving our nation's health crisis.