March 14 is World Sleep Day. I sense that you are yawning already. Let’s just acknowledge it right now-sleep has an image problem.

Around 1900, the average man slept 8 hours and the average woman slept 9 hours. Today, only 21% of Americans sleep an average of 8 hours, and the same percentage get less than 6 hours.

Yet today, if you consistently get enough sleep, studies show you will be thinner, smarter, healthier, more cheerful, have a better memory, better judgment, a livelier libido and live longer.*. Who wouldn’t want all that for a small change in routine?

Many folks say they do just fine on 4 hours sleep. Martha Stewart and Donald Trump are known to sleep 4 hours a night. Those who sleep too little claim that even if they are at 50% productivity they are still accomplishing a lot. Studies show that less than 5% of people across all cultures do well on 4 hours sleep. SO, yes it does work for some people. I’m betting you aren’t one of them.

I recommend an experiment. It costs you nothing other than your time to try it. Turn off your cell phone, the television, your computer, etc and GO TO BED.

Add just 1/2 hour each night of time in sleep mode. If you have a sleep tracker like a Fitbit, it is easy to record the time. Also keep track of how you feel each day. Are you more alert, more productive, do you have more energy for longer, eat less junk food?

I say it costs nothing to try it. If you sleep more, the benefits are huge.

*See article in the Los Angeles Times, March 8, 2014