Sleep has become a precious commodity – we love it and need it, but rarely get enough of it. Busy schedules, kids, anxiety and technology can all get in the way of a good night sleep.

Getting enough sleep can play an important role in your weight, emotional wellbeing, blood pressure, diabetes, mental and physical performance, and more.

Remember that adults aren't the only ones who need good sleep. It's also critical that children get even more sleep than adults.

The three pillars of health are nutrition, physical exercise, and sleep. All three of these are connected.

For example, if you don't sleep well, you may not eat well. People get food cravings when they haven't slept well, and they often crave a food with lots of carbohydrates (carbs) like a cookie. And when you are tired, the last thing you want to do is go to the gym.

People who are fully functioning pay attention to all three. They must all be working together for better health.

Here are some other health benefits of sleep:

promotes growth

helps heart health

supports weight management

helps combat germs and keep your immune system strong

reduces risk of injury

increases attention span

boosts memory and learning

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Studies show that adults should get seven to eight hours a night for good health. Some people insist that they can get away with four or five hours of sleep. While these so-called "short sleepers" do exist, they are a very small percentage of the population.

The rest of the self-identified "short sleepers" are mostly staying alert by drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks. Not getting enough sleep can raise the risk of health consequences.

However, getting enough sleep isn't just about the number of hours you're asleep. It's also about the quality of sleep and that you stay on a regular schedule so that you feel rested when you wake up.

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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these are the recommended number of hours of sleep based on a child's age:

Newborns: 14-17 hours a day

Babies: 12-16 hours a day (including naps)

Toddlers: 11-14 hours a day (including naps)

Preschoolers: 10-13 hours a day (including naps)

School-aged children: 9-12 hours each night

Teenagers: 8-10 hours each night

Not enough sleep or routinely getting broken sleep is linked with seven of the 15 leading causes of death in the U.S. These include:

It's not healthy to deprive yourself of sleep because sleep supports all aspects of normal brain and body function.

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Here are some tips to help you get a better night sleep:

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Sleep deprivation affects your ability to remember, concentrate, and make good decisions. Your reaction time is also reduced. A sleep-deprived driver has the same poor response time as someone who is legally drunk.

Not getting enough sleep makes us more emotionally unstable. Lack of sleep can cause you to have very strong emotions, such as extreme sadness or anger.

One thing that connects almost all mental and nervous system disorders is some level of wake and sleep disruption. Health experts know that treating sleep disruptions can help stabilize neurologic disorders. But left untreated, sleep disruption may contribute to the progression of disease.

One example is Alzheimer's disease. We know that sleep is disrupted in the early stages of the disease. If we could address that early on, perhaps the progression of the disease could be delayed.

Patrick M. Fuller, a neuroscientist who studies how the brain regulates sleeping and waking, contributed and reviewed this article. Fuller is a professor in UC Davis Health's Department of Neurological Surgery and vice chair for research.