we have become prey to what has been termed the sleep-industrial complex. People stressed about sleep are enticed to spend a fortune on hi-tech mattresses, sound machines, noise-canceling headphones, light-blocking curtains, gizmos to halt their bedfellow’s snoring, eye masks, and something called high-performance bedding. These mostly harmless gadgets would no doubt amuse our ancestors who slept on the ground by a fire, but we should be downright alarmed by the abuse of sleeping pills. Sleeping pills, which are highly habit forming, are a multibillion-dollar industry.
