Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 years, but many individuals would give anything just to sleep peacefully through the night. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 40,000,000 Americans have a chronic sleep disorder, and another 20,000,000 experience occasional sleep disturbances. Steep disorders are estimated to cost the U.S. $15,900,000 per year in direct medical costs. In addition, a host of other conditions are associated with sleep problems, ranging from loss of productivity to higher …showed first 75 words of 1404 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1404 total…while we sleep) that make us feel sleepy. Light therapy has been shown to offset the dark days of winter. breaking the desire to "hibernate" in more than half of all those in treatment. Extrinsic sleep disorders come from causes outside the body. The source ranges from problems with alcohol that affect sleep to disorders in sleep habits and practices. Dealing with the external factors that are harming the sleep pattern often solves the problems.