In a recent report done by a market research firm, Singapore is the 2nd country with the most sleep-deprived people, where around 62% of the population is estimated not to get enough sleep. (First on the list is Britain.) Also, in the same report, more than 8 in 10 Singaporeans spend their weekends sleeping in to repay the sleep debt they accumulate over the weekdays. Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to depression, anxiety and a poorer immunity system. In other words, both your mental and physical wellbeing are taking blows from a lack of sleep. Understanding Insomnia with Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Traditional Chinese Medicine theory associates insomnia with the ‘heart spirit’ (a direct translation of 心神 xin shen). The phrase ‘heart spirit’ probably sounds weird to you, but what it actually means in TCM theory, is that the heart houses an energy and force that controls your mental and physical body, guides your consciousness and wields your sense of awareness. When there is a disruption in the heart spirit, causing a deficiency in this …