Informing sleep policy through field experiments

Recent progress in sleep science has greatly improved our understanding of the neurobiology of sleep and its importance for physical and mental functioning. Lab experiments have shown that insufficient sleep causes declines in cognitive and physiological function, and community studies have documented widespread sleep deprivation. Adults in the US sleep just 6.1 hours per night when objectively measured (1), well below the 7 to 9 hours recommended by experts (2). Evidence is emerging that sleep duration and quality are even lower in developing countries and among the poor in rich countries (3–5). This has led to predictions that increased sleep would have profound benefits for society, including increased productivity, academic performance, health, and safety (6). Why do people not sleep more, given these predicted benefits