An estimated 60 million Americans have trouble sleeping. Today, because of artificial lights, TV, the internet, and the caffeine craze, people are sleeping about one hour less than their great-grandparents did. This figure might not be startling in itself but considering that proper sleep is one of the most important elements in the process of healing, America is also in for a disease-ridden wake-up call.

Sleep is much more than just a passive experience for your body. Although we might be resting, our body is engaged in another type of activity, a process that will bring restoration and healing to frazzled organs, nerves, and body tissues.

Sleep is characterized by a cycle of five increasingly deeper stages of sleep followed by periods of increased brain activity:

Stage 1: If you have ever driven a car while drowsy, you are well acquainted with this stage of very light sleep. The startle that often awakes drowsy drivers is an indication of having briefly entered this stage.

Stages 2, 3, and 4: In these stages, brain activity decreases (but does not stop); deep sleep begins and delta waves begin and intensify.

Stage 5: This sleep is characterized by rapid eye movement(REM), dreaming, arm and leg paralysis (so we don't act out our dreams), and increased heart rate and blood pressure.The brainwave pattern during  REM is close to that of being awake. It is theorized that REM is a period of information processing, storing, and the improvement of brain efficiency.