If theres one thing a century or more of sleep science has established, its that sleep deserves to be a priority. It's not. We hear much about the importance of exercise to our long-term well-being, and how diet and health are inextricably linked. Sleep, however, is typically an afterthought. Complicating the matter, people commonly mistake how much sleep they get for how much they need.

As many as 70 million U.S. adults are being deprived of the restful sleep their bodies require for good health and optimal performance. Either they aren't getting enough sleep each night or their sleep is disruptive and of poor quality. It's a momentous problem, labeled as a "public health epidemic" by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on practically every system and organ in our bodies, paving the way for innumerable health problems.

Whether youre desperately seeking a solution to your sleep woes or are simply curious if theres more that you can do to improve your sleep and, ultimately, your health, this book has the answers you seek. Mayo Clinic Guide to Better Sleep is packed with guidance and helpful tips to improve sleep quality and effectively manage common sleep disorders. Inside youll find information on:

• Healthy lifestyle habits to improve sleep
• The importance of your bodys internal clock and how to keep it in sync
• How sleep changes with age
• The most effective therapies to treat insomnia
• The risks and benefits of sleep medicines
• Improved and emerging devices to treat sleep apnea
• Unusual behaviors during sleep and what causes them
• Narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and other less common sleep disorders

With the right approach, most sleep problems can be successfully treated and prevented. Use the science-based methods and advice of Mayo Clinic sleep specialists to start sleeping better today.