Sleep. We all need it. We go a little batty when we don’t get enough of it. Even so, many people still struggle for that elusive eight hours in slumber land.

But a recent study suggests Americans are adding a few winks here and there.

University of Pennsylvania researchers recently reported that Americans are getting 17 more minutes of sleep per weeknight and 50 seconds on weekend nights than they were in 2003.

While 17 minutes doesn’t seem long enough for even a brief dream, scientists said it adds up to nearly five days’ worth of sleep over the course of a year.

These numbers were derived by Penn researchers using a U.S. Census Bureau survey of more than 180,000 people. The survey also quizzed participants about how they spent their time.

Researchers found participants were reading more before bedtime and watching less TV. The data also suggest the online world can free up more time for sleep by allowing us to take care of tasks such as shopping and banking on our computers or smartphones.

Overall, people are grabbing most of that extra sleep by going to bed earlier, rather than getting up later. And we’re getting on average more than eight hours of sleep a night. But other research shows a third of Americans still don’t get enough. That’s considered seven hours or less a night.

Research shows a lack of sleep has medical consequences. Aside from the risk of accident, chronic short sleepers face a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

So, remember the old Irish proverb when going to bed tonight: “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in a doctor’s book.”