Americans [these days indian too...] don’t get enough sleep, period. This is because of a combination of an overwhelmingly Puritan work ethic coupled with really good late night talk shows. It’s endemic and must be stopped.
The Wake-up Light can help you, though. Instead of blaring Top 40 or Stern to shock your system into wakefulness, the light starts at a dim level, gradually increasing over half an hour, until it reaches a point that your body finds acceptable to wake to. This gentle way of removing you from REM makes you feel far more rested and refreshed, as interrupting a REM cycle can leave you feeling drained all day.
The Wake-up Light is made by Royal Philips and will be available early next year in Europe, but people in states will have to probably bare the Sharper Image. We’re hoping it’s got a snooze button of some sort, or else we’re screwed :-))