A new study from RAND Europe says sleep deprivation plays a role in the billions of dollars lost globally each year. The United States sees a loss of up to $411 billion a year due to lower workforce productivity and higher risk of death. The economies of four other major developed countries— Canada, Germany, Japan and the U.K. — lose a combined $269 billion a year from their sleep-deprived citizenry. There's often this claim that sleep is for wimps and sleep is a waste of time. But there's increasing evidence that [sleep deprivation] is bad for your health, your well-being, and maybe even bad for your relationships. A total of 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily is recommended by most U.S. health experts. Start taking your sleep seriously!