Healthy sleep is essential for healthy brain and body function” (Infographic: How Technology Affects Our Sleep). Sleep is necessary for survival, so it is important that Americans get enough sleep. The hours of sleep per night that people get have declined over the past century. I believe that increased use of technology, increased stress levels, combined with a sedentary lifestyle are just some of the factors responsible for the overall decrease in the number of hours of sleep per night over of the last century. Unless we Americans change our habits and make getting a good night's sleep a higher priority, this trend toward fewer hours of sleep per night will continue to increase, all the while such as adverse effects of sleep.