You no doubt have found yourself tossing and turning at night, failing to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. If that sounds too familiar and happens too frequently, you may be suffering from insomnia. Any insomnia definition describes an inability to fall asleep. However, the condition—which effects an estimated 60 … Read More
Do you ever have wild visions or dreams that are extremely vivid and seem like real life just as you’re falling asleep? You may be experiencing hypnagogic hallucinations, a condition often associated with narcolepsy. In fact, hypnagogic hallucinations are among the four most common narcolepsy symptoms, along with sleep paralysis, … Read More
If you snore, and you’ve tried sleeping on your side and various other "tricks" to quiet your nighttime breathing, you may want to consider a snoring mouthguard, also called a snoring mouthpiece. It’s a dental appliance that keeps the jaw pushed slightly forward while you sleep to help ensure that … Read More
Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone,” because it becomes more abundant when we are faced with a stressful situation. It affects the heart rate, breathing patterns, and other aspects of the body’s “fight or flight” response. But just what is cortisol? And what does it do? Probably … Read More
You toss. You turn. You stare at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. Still, it evades you. Why can’t you just get to sleep? Routine shut-eye has been proven to boost our energy, improve our mood, and increase our life span. Problem is, many of us can’t seem to … Read More
Stress happens—whether we like it or not. While some strain is essential to our survival (it promotes the release of hormones needed to fight or run from our stressors), too much can cause a slew of nasty illnesses. Being under chronic stress boosts our risk of physical and psychological conditions, … Read More
The other night I elbowed my husband in the ribs, on purpose. As usual, he’d fallen asleep within seconds of hitting the pillow, a trait I’ve always envied. He was sleeping soundly on his back, in what he claims to be the best sleep position. Sweet, right? So why did … Read More
Ahh, brain fog. Why do you toy with me so? The other day I looked everywhere for my car keys. I was rushing so I could drop off my kids at school (finally!) when I realized they were missing (the keys, not the kids). I searched frantically: the kitchen, the … Read More
It doesn’t take much to make me want to eat chocolate. A sunny day. A rainy day. A snowy day. Pretty much any kind of day is perfect for indulging in my favorite sweet. Yes, chocolate can be good for you (this is what I keep reminding myself when I … Read More
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious challenge that requires professional treatment (see "What You Can Do" sidebar). It often takes time and patience to overcome. And while there are no simple cures for this mood disorder, a Massachusetts General Hospital expert points out that there are common-sense steps that … Read More
