Insomnia, Sleep Disorders

Having to listen to the sound of someone snoring when you are trying to fall asleep can definitely drive you over the edge. Strangely enough, the snorer is usually unaware that he or she is snoring and it is the bed partner who has to contend with the snoring. Snoring is the sound that occurs when air flow is obstructed in the area where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula.

Understanding the sleep cycle is important to ensure that you get a peaceful, sounder sleep. When you sleep, your sleep goes in cycles between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. REM sleep is a basically a light sleep where you will most likely awaken. In REM, you do most of your dreaming and your body does not move much, heart rate increases and your eyes move back and forth. In NREM your body slows down to prepare you for your deepest sleep.

Sleep is a vital ingredient needed for the body and mind to function. Most of our lives will be spent in slumber, re-charging our batteries for the day ahead. Regardless of the cause, interrupted or poor quality sleep can be extremely problematic. The brain which functions as the ‘battery’ of your body, needs adequate sleep to be able to perform it’s many functions correctly.