And yet according to a National Sleep Foundation poll, 63% of Americans don't get this recommended eight hours. Pulling all-nighters to cram for exams or prepare reports is just one of the many reasons college students and the rest of us don't get our recommended sleep.

Since the lack of adequate sleep affects your memory and ability to think, it's essential to improve your sleep if you want to improve your grades, your stamina, your productivity and your level of happiness.

Do you wake up to an alarm clock every morning?

If so, according to Dr. Wilse Web, a psychologist at the University of Florida ,Gainesville , "you're shortening your natural sleep pattern." Many believe that we can awake without an alarm clock if we get adequate sleep.

I've witnessed more than one driver on the freeway pulling up alongside me with heavy eyelids and dozing off.  It's a scary sight and a potentially fatal situation.

Many people believe that there is widespread sleep deprivation in our nation. As a matter of fact, lack of sleep has been implicated in train, truck, oil spill and space shuttle accidents. These incidents indicate that lack of sleep can lead to inability to concentrate, think fast, make wise decisions and drive safely.

It's common to experience nervousness before a presentation or speaking engagement. But add to this lack of adequate sleep and you heighten your stress and diminish the quality of your performance.   To increase your grades, stamina, productivity and happiness, put adequate sleep on your daily to-do list.