Sleep or die: skipping sleep can dramatically increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, a weakened immune system—even death. How's that for a wake-up call?

Men's Fitness, August, 2004 by Shelley Drozd

Sleep It Off: Sleep longer, wake up smarter. Some of the world's brightest flashes of artistic and scientific insight came to their authors following sleep. And for good reason: Sleep is essential for creativity. German research shows that math students are up to three times more likely to figure out a hidden problem-solving formula after getting eight hours of sleep than while sleep-deprived. And for those without a creative bone in their body, sleep is just as important. Research from the University of Chicago shows that sleep improves your ability to learn vocabulary and language skills, while a University of Pennsylvania study shows that getting at least a few hours of sleep after learning a crucial skill--or staying up to cram your head with information--can help your memory "gel" so you remember things more easily. (Bet you wish you'd known that in college.) Can't catch all your ZZZs overnight? "A 60-minute midday nap can also help improve learning," says Mednick.

The Perfect Bedroom

We asked Cornell University researcher James Maas, Ph.D., author of Power Sleep, to help us design the ideal master suite for a night of restful sleep. His snooze-worthy suggestions:

Mattress

Look for a mattress with just enough support to keep your hips and spine in the same alignment as if you were standing up. The mattress doesn't have to be hard or firm in order to be good. A quality king-size mattress should have 450 coils, a queen 375. For foam mattresses, look for a density of at least two pounds per cubic foot.

Thermostat

For optimal sleep, keep the dial set at between 65 and 67 degrees. If the room is too hot or too cold, your sleep will suffer.

Pillows

Think yours is dead? Here's how to find out: For a down or feather pillow, fluff it then fold it in half and squeeze out the air. The pillow should quickly return to its original shape. To test a polyester pillow, fluff it, fold it in half, and place a tennis shoe on top. If the pillow is good, it will throw the shoe off and unfold by itself. When you buy new pillows, remember to opt for firm ones if you sleep on your side; medium-firm if you sleep on your back; and soft if you sleep on your stomach.

Windows

"Buy thick, dark-colored curtains," says Maas. You want your bedroom pitch black, since even a single spot of light--say, from your cell-phone charger--can disrupt the quality of your sleep.

Radio

Tune an FM radio into the static between two stations. Keep the volume low. "The resulting white noise will mask unwanted sleep distractions," says Maas.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BILL DIODATO

Shelley Drozd has written for Prevention and other national magazines. She claims to be a night person.