When sleep is just a dream

The greater the competition, the more pressure there is on companies to be productive and efficient. But what does this mean for an individual employee? According to an article entitled “When Sleep is Just a Dream”, it means higher stress levels and less sleep.
On average people should get 6 - 8 hours of sleep a night. But a poll conducted by NBC reveals that about 50% of Americans don't think they get enough sleep while 25% are getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night. This is a 20 year trend of Americans getting less sleep.
Although a lack of sleep is not good for people in general, there are some industries cashing in on people's demanding life styles. 42 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were filled last year; a 60% increase since 2000. The International Sleep Products Association reports that the sale of mattresses priced over $1000 was up by 9% in 2004 as compared to 2000. Not to mention all of the coffee shops popping up everywhere to provide people with a quick jolt of energy.
Despite these few industries that are benefiting from a society deprived of sleep, what is this lack of sleep doing to the rest of the economy? By working longer hours are people really being more productive or are they just taking longer to do the same job because they are tired? The article suggests that a simple answer to this problem would be a 20 minute nap in the middle of the day. Do you see companies making napping part of their corporate culture? If not, what will be the long-term consequences of this lack of sleep? Or won't there be any?