A survey conducted by a reputed Cancer Society concluded that people who sleep 6 hours or less per night, or who sleep 9 hours or more, had a death rate 30 percent higher than those who regularly slept 7 to 8 hours. Even those who slept 6 hours or less who otherwise had no health problems had death rates 1.8 times higher than those who slept ’’normal’’ hours.

Falling in love is easy. Falling asleep can be the tough part, especially for newlyweds:

“He was a bed hog; he’d steal the covers; he wanted it cooler, I wanted it warmer; his cat would sleep on my head -- we were never on the same sleep page!” says Deana Wilfong, of Crestone, Colo., who got married last summer.

The Wilfongs are not alone. Sleep incompatibility between couples is a common contributor to sleep deprivation, which can compromise mental, physical and emotional health. And love may not overcome all: studies show that insomnia and decreased sleep contribute to decreased marital bliss.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), lack of sleep can lead to major health problems including hypertension, cardiovascular troubles, type 2 diabetes and obesity. It also causes deterioration of cognitive and motor skills such as memory, concentration and driving. In one study, sleep deprivation impaired performance and alertness more than being legally drunk.

Emotional health suffers, too. A University of Pennsylvania study found that subjects who slept less than a full night for one week reported feeling stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. With sufficient sleep, their mood improved significantly.

“Sleep is more important than we thought,” says Robert Ballard, M.D.,a board-certified sleep specialist at the National Jewish Medical Research center in Denver, Colo.

“If you deprive yourself of sleep, you put yourself at risk -- for chronic illness, reduced immune function, cardiovascular disease, impaired cognition and compromised executive mental function, as well as accidents.”

Nonetheless, millions of couples aren’t getting enough rest. According to NSF surveys, 60 percent of adults have sleep problems a few nights a week or more. More than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month. A majority of respondents admit that not getting enough sleep impairs work performance, increases the risk for injuries and making mistakes, and makes it more difficult to get along with others. And 12 percent of married couples sleep solo.