失眠？高质量睡眠的8个小贴士
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老桑说
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
我最近带一些外国朋友来到了北京一家有名的中医足疗店。当足底按摩师一个接一个地做足部按摩时，他们诊断来访者们有“睡眠不好”。这些治疗师说，这是他们所见过的最常见的ailment（病症）之一，不管是中国人还是外国人。
许多人可能会感到睡眠不足。每年这个时候，学生们都在准备期末考试和论文，有时为了完成作业甚至会通宵达旦。而在办公室里，白领们也正忙着收集资料准备年终报告。或许还有其他的原因导致你缺乏睡眠。但我相信很多人在读这篇文章时想让自己可以睡得更好。
睡眠deprivation（不足）影响着人的身心健康。好的睡眠能够促进你的思考能力和记忆力，但不充分或质量不高的睡眠则会造成负面的影响。不充分的睡眠还会使人体免疫系统衰退，是导致人们生病、感冒的原因之一。此外，睡眠不足还与“肥胖”有关。总之，若想保持一个好的健康状态，充足的睡眠是必要的。
传统中医认为：“五谷为养，五果为助，五畜为益，五菜为充”（《黄帝内经》），“药replenish（补）不如食补，食补不如神补”（《淮南子》）。在我关于如何治疗感冒症状的文章中，我首先建议你应该多休息。然后你会惊奇地发现好的睡眠能够对自己的健康起到多大的作用。
引起导致睡眠不足的原因有很多。首先，我们可能没有合理地安排工作的优先顺序，然后我们就会通过喝咖啡或服用使自己兴奋的药物来熬夜完成工作。其次，我们可能会因为压力大而在半夜中从恐慌和恐惧中惊醒，反复思考那些困扰我们的问题。当然，也可能是你患有睡眠障碍。
你可以通过改变一些生活方式来解决这些问题。比如，可以把重要的事情放在第一位，战胜拖延，腾出更多的时间睡觉。如果你感到紧张，你可以尝试正念疗法来面对自己内心的焦虑。如果你患有慢性失眠，那么就会存在睡眠障碍问题，这时应该咨询你的医生来诊断和治疗。
睡眠需求因人而异，一个健康的成年人每晚需要7到9小时的睡眠来保持最佳的身体机能，而儿童和青少年则需要更多的睡眠时间。
除了这些生活方式的改变，你还可以做一些小事来改善你的睡眠:
咖啡、茶、可乐、能量饮料（如红牛）、巧克力和其他产品中都含有咖啡因。尽管它们会对我们的睡眠和精神产生负面的影响，但当我们感到疲惫或压力大时，我们就会想去通过东西来提神，尤其是在晚上的时候。
如果你睡眠有困难，试着改用不含咖啡因的花茶，如菊花茶或甘菊茶，然后看自己的感受如何。
注意，茉莉花茶不是花茶，而是通过窨制的绿茶。所以和其它的绿茶一样，茉莉花茶也含有咖啡因。
啤酒、葡萄酒或烈酒会让你昏昏欲睡。研究表明，酒精可能会帮助你更快入睡，但它也会打断你的昼夜节律，阻碍快速眼动睡眠，aggravate（加剧）呼吸问题，并导致夜间频繁上厕所——所有这些都会打乱正常的睡眠模式。
如果你需要对劝酒压力的应对策略，可以查看我写的帮助你拒绝非自愿劝酒的5个应对方法。
专家建议应该每天按时入睡和起床，以最大限度地提高你的睡眠质量。不要因为早上上课较晚或没有什么急事而选择在周末或者平日中起得很晚。每天尽量在同一时间起床，这样你的身体就会习惯健康的睡眠规律。
你的身心需要时间放松，为睡眠做好准备。就像电脑一样，你的大脑需要时间来“关机”。一旦你确定了睡眠时间，就应该提前放下工作去做一些更放松的事情。
著名成功学作家蒂姆·菲利斯（Tim Ferriss）建议我们睡觉前读一个小时的小说。“睡觉前不要看非虚构类的读物，”他建议道，“这会促进你对未来的预测和专注，而应该选择阅读激发想象力的小说。”可以在下方查看我在读书俱乐部中提供的虚构类小说书单。
如果你在床上工作或学习，你可能会在心理上把床当成办公室或教室。它使你更容易带着一天的问题入睡，从而打断你的休息。所以你应当在不同的地方工作或学习，尽量让你的办公桌或工作区远离你的床。
如果你晚上不想看小说，你可能会选择看电视或网络节目。然而这与读书不是一回事。电视节目、新闻和网络内容可能是快节奏的，有的则会引起焦虑，而且这些设备发出的光也会暗示你的大脑表明自己仍然处于白天——所有这些都会干扰你的良好睡眠。
运动具有刺激作用，会干扰你的睡眠。在天普大学，我们的健身中心一直开到晚上11点。我总是惊讶于有那么多学生会锻炼到深夜。也许这就是大学生活，但我总是选择在早上将运动作为一天中的第一件事。
运动教练经常建议在早上锻炼，说这样能促进新陈代谢，增强协调性，提高精神和体力，培养很强的自律能力，当然，还能帮助你获得更好的睡眠。研究表明，那些在早上锻炼的人在实现他们健身目标改进方面取得更大的成就。
不必多说，我们都应该在黑暗中入睡。在睡前要关灯并拉上窗帘，以确保你处于易于睡眠的环境下。如果你的室友晚上经常制造噪音，或者你住的地方周围比较喧嚣，不妨试试耳塞和眼罩来解决噪音和光亮的困扰。
有时你必须做出调整来获得更多的睡眠。例如,我在清华大学的公寓靠近家园食堂。每天一大早，他们就会打开喧吵的排风扇。虽然我更喜欢睡觉时开着窗户获得一些通风，但我现在只能选择关上窗户，以减少噪音对我睡眠的影响。
如果你的睡眠有问题，首先应该检查一下自己的生活方式。你可以通过更好的时间管理、焦虑管理或医疗来改善睡眠吗？请诚实回答。然后，试试上面的8个技巧。这些不是很难执行，而且可以产生很有益的影响。
我的朋友，睡眠不足会对你的工作或学习成绩产生负面影响，同时也会削弱你的长期健康。通过建立一个健康的夜晚生活习惯和良好的睡眠习惯，你将改善你的精神和身体状态，从而更好地为成功position（做好准备）。如果你有任何睡眠小贴士，欢迎在下面的评论中与我分享!
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Insomnia? 8 Tips for Better Sleep
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
I recently took some foreign visitors to a well-recognized Chinese medicine foot massage place in Beijing. As the reflexologists were working on their feet, one after the other, they diagnosed the visitors with “sleeping problems.” These therapists said it is one of the most common ailments they see, among Chinese and foreign alike.
Many of us may feel we get inadequate sleep. This time of year, students are preparing for final exams and papers, sometimes pulling all-nighters trying to get their work done. In the office, we are preparing year-end reports. Or there may be another reason. But I’m sure many of you reading this article think you could be getting better sleep.
Sleep deprivation affects our mental and physical health. Good sleep can boost your thinking skills and memory, and bad or insufficient sleep can worsen them. Poor sleep weakens your immune system and makes you sick, leading to more colds and flu. Insufficient sleep has also been linked to weight gain. All in all, you need sleep to perform well and stay in good health.
A traditional saying in Chinese medicine is, “replenishing health with medicine is not as good as replenishing health with diet, but that replenishing health with sleep is the best treatment of all.” In my article on how to treat cold symptoms, I first suggested that you get some extra rest. You’ll be amazed at what a good night’s sleep can do for your health.
Sleep deprivation has many causes. First, we don’t prioritize our work properly, and we drink coffee or take stimulants to stay up late to get things done. Second, we may be feeling stressed, waking up in the middle of the night from panic and fear, ruminating over the issues bothering us. Or third, you may have a sleep disorder.
You can make some lifestyle changes to address these issues. You can put first things first, fighting procrastination and freeing up more time to sleep. If you are stressed out, you can practice mindfulness to change your relationship with anxiety. If you suffer chronic insomnia, you may have a sleep disorder and should consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
While sleep requirements vary from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more.
In addition to these lifestyle changes, you can also do these smaller things to improve your sleep:
Avoid caffeine at night and limit it during the day.
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks (such as Red Bull), chocolate, and other products. We often reach for these things when we are tired or stressed, even though they can have the opposite effect on our sleep and mindset, especially when consumed at night.
If you are having difficulty sleeping, try switching to a caffeine-free herbal infusion, such as chrysanthemum or chamomile tea and see how you feel.
Note that jasmine tea is not an herbal infusion, but scented green tea. Like other teas, jasmine tea will also have caffeine.
Skip alcohol before bed.
Beer, wine, or spirits can leave you feeling drowsy. Studies have shown that alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it also can interrupt your circadian rhythm, block REM sleep, aggravate breathing problems, and lead to extra nighttime bathroom trips—all of which upset normal sleeping patterns.
If you need help saying “no” to drinking pressure, see my 5 tips to help you survive unwanted drinking advances.
Create a sleep schedule
and stick to it.
Experts recommend that you go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day to maximize the quality of your sleep. Don't sleep late on weekends or days when you have a late class or nothing urgent in the morning. Try to wake up close to the same time every day so your body gets used to a healthy sleeping routine.
Put work or homework away at least 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime.
Your mind and body need time to wind down to prepare yourself for sleep. Like a computer, your mind needs time to “shut down.” Once you have established your sleep time, put away your work beforehand to do something more relaxing.
Success author Tim Ferriss advises us to read one hour of fiction before going to sleep. “Do not read non-fiction prior to bed,” he counsels, “which encourages projection into the future and preoccupation. Read fiction that engages the imagination.” See my book club menu below for some suggested fiction reading.
Don't study or work on your computer in bed.
If you work or study in bed, you may be mentally converting your bed into an office or classroom. It makes it easier to take your day’s problems to sleep with you, thus interrupting your rest. Work or study in a different location, and try to keep your desk or work area as far from your bed as possible.
Don't watch TV or check your cell phone just before bed.
If you don’t want to read fiction at night, you may think you can watch television or Internet programming instead. This is not the same thing. Television shows, news, and online content can be fast-paced and anxiety-provoking, and the backlighting from your device can indicate to your brain that it is still daytime—all of which can interfere with good sleep.
Exercise earlier in the day and not just before bed.
Exercise is a stimulant and can interfere with your sleep. At Temple University, our fitness centers are open until 11:00 pm. I am always amazed at how many students are exercising late into the night. Perhaps this is the college life, but I always try to get my workout done first thing in the morning.
Athletic coaches often advise morning workouts, saying that they enhance your metabolism, cultivate consistency, improve mental and physical energy, develop strong self-discipline, and, of course, help you get better sleep. Studies have shown that those who work out in the morning have greater chances of success in achieving their fitness goals.
Turn out the lights when it's time to go to bed, as a bright room will keep you awake.
I think it goes without saying that you sleep best in the dark. Make sure you turn out the light and draw the curtains to make your sleeping area as dark as possible. If you have loud roommates or live in a noisy area, sleep with earplugs and use an eye pillow to drown out any bright lights and noise.
Sometimes you have to make adjustments to get more sleep. For example, my apartment on the Tsinghua University campus is next to the Jiayuan dining hall. Early every morning they turn on the loud exhaust fans. Even though I prefer to sleep with the windows open to get some ventilation, I now just keep them closed to diminish the effects of the noise on my sleep.
If you have having problems with your sleep, first take a look at your lifestyle. Could you get better sleep by better time management, anxiety management, or medical treatment? Be honest with your answer. Then, try the 8 tips above. They are not very difficult, but could have a great effect.
My friend, sleep deprivation can negatively affect your work or school performance, while also weakening your long-term health. By establishing a healthy evening routine and good sleep habits, you will improve your mental and physical state, thus better positioning yourself for success. And if you have any sleeping tips, please share them with me in the comments below!
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Ailment \ˈāl-mənt \
a)含义：n. 病症
b)例句：
i.These therapists said it is one of the most common ailments they see, among Chinese and foreign alike.
这些治疗师说，这是他们所见过的最常见的病症之一，不管是中国人还是外国人。
ii.In fact, this woman put childcare above her work, took time off for every minor ailment of the child, and looked very aggrieved when she got no pay rise that year.
实际上，这个女人的工作似乎就是为了照看子女，孩子出现任何小病，她都要请假，而当她去年没有获得加薪时，显得非常愤愤不平。
c)近义词： disease, disorder, illness
2.Deprivation
\ˌde-prə-ˈvā-shən \
a)含义： n. 剥夺；损失
b)例句：
i.Sleep deprivation affects our mental and physical health.
许多人可能会感到睡眠不足。
ii.But the long-term consequences of sleep deprivation should be enough to convince anyone to hit the sack. 但如果是长期的睡眠剥夺其所带来的后果应该足够能说服任何人赶紧上床睡觉。
c)近义词： deficiency, loss, privation
3.Replenish
\ri-ˈple-nish \
a)含义：v. 补充
b)例句：
i.A traditional saying in Chinese medicine is, “replenishing health with medicine is not as good as replenishing health with diet, but that replenishing health with sleep is the best treatment of all.”
传统中医认为：”五谷为养,五果为助,五畜为益,五菜为充“（《黄帝内经》），
ii.Excess water at the surface is siphoned down to replenish ground water, which is then pumped back up for use as necessary.
地表多余的水被虹吸下去，用于补充地下水，然后地下水被重新抽上来用于必要的用途。
c)近义词： freshen, recharge, refill
4.Aggravate
\ˈa-grə-ˌvāt \
a)含义：v. 加重；使恶化
b)例句：
i.Studies have shown that alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it also can interrupt your circadian rhythm, block REM sleep, aggravate breathing problems, and lead to extra nighttime bathroom trips—all of which upset normal sleeping patterns.
研究表明，酒精可能会帮助你更快入睡，但它也会打断你的昼夜节律，阻碍快速眼动睡眠，加剧呼吸问题，并导致夜间多上厕所——所有这些都会打乱正常的睡眠模式。
ii.While under pressure, we tend to be impatient and easily lose our temper, which could only aggravate our feeling of pressure.
压力大时，我们往往会感到烦躁、容易上火，这只会加重我们的压力感。
c)近义词：complicate, exacerbate, worsen
5.Position \ pə-ˈzi-shən \
a)含义：v. 安置；把…放在适当位置
b)例句：
i.By establishing a healthy evening routine and good sleep habits, you will improve your mental and physical state, thus better positioning yourself for success.
通过建立一个健康的夜晚生活习惯和良好的睡眠习惯，你将改善你的精神和身体状态，从而更好地为成功做好准备。
ii.We are ideally positioned to take advantage of the growth in demand.
我们已准备好利用需求增加这一良机。
c)近义词： establish, locate, place
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See you next time.
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