非诚勿扰单亲妈妈吴琼:Tossing and Turning 辗转难眠

http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/05/14 15:13  视听英语Ladder AI杂志
The causes and cures for insomnia aren’t in your bedroom
 
失眠的原因和治疗方法并不在你的卧室里
 
My bed is supposed to be the best parts of my home–the place that I go to find energy and relaxation after a long, stressful day. So, lately, why do I get nervous just looking at it? I can’t sleep on this problem, because I can’t get to sleep in the first place: I am a victim of insomnia.
我的床应该是我家最舒服的地方，一个让我在又长又紧张的一天后，可以找到能量和放松的地方。那么，为什么我最近一看到它就紧张？我不能把这个问题留到明天起床后再解决，首先是因为我根本睡不着：我是失眠症的受害者。
I’m not alone: studies show that more than one in three people worldwide complains of insomnia. It takes different forms: some people can get to sleep on time, but wake up much to early; others get a full-night’s sleep but still feel exhausted when they wake up. And then there are people like me, run-of-the-mill insomniacs who toss and turn all night, trying to fall asleep.
我并不是惟一有失眠问题的人：研究显示全球有超过1/3的人抱怨有失眠问题。失眠症有不同的形式：有些人可以准时睡着，但是醒来太早。其他人睡了整个晚上，但醒来时仍旧觉得筋疲力尽。还有像我一样的普通失眠症患者，整晚翻来覆去，试图入睡。
Insomnia is most commonly a side effect of depression, but it can also be caused by many other ailments. To find the cure, doctors first look to the cause by keeping a“sleep diary,”in which you record your sleep habits. The diary may reveal lifestyle patterns, like an afternoon nap, that are causing your problem. Dr. Mark Dyken, a specialist in sleep disorders, writes that,“a good sleep diary can often allow the patients to‘heal themselves.’”
失眠症是忧郁症最常见的副作用，但它也可能是其他小病痛引起的。要找到治疗的方法，医生先通过记录“睡眠日记”来找出原因，你要在其中记录你的睡眠习惯。这个日记可能会揭示你的生活模式，你的生活模式正是造成失眠问题的原因，例如午睡。睡眠失调专家马克·迪肯医生写到：“好的睡眠日记通常能让病人‘治愈自己’。”
A good night’s sleep is created during the day. Exercise in the beginning or middle of the day, and stay away from caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes in the afternoon and evening. After dark, dim the lights and try to reduce stress. Our bodies like consistent patterns, so we should let them know that it’s time to wind down.
一夜好眠要在白天创造。在早晨或中午运动，在下午和晚上避免接触咖啡因、酒精和香烟。天黑之后，要将灯光调暗并试着减轻压力。我们的身体喜欢一致性，所以我们应该让它们知道该是松弛下来的时候了。
If you can’t fall asleep, keep the lights low. Try reading a book or listening to soft music. Some more offbeat treatments include wiggling your toes, rubbing your stomach or smelling cut onions before you sleep. And, if all else fails, pick up a statistics textbook: you’ll most likely be asleep by page two.
如果你睡不着，那就让光线保持昏暗。试着读一本书或听听轻柔的音乐。有些非正统的疗法包括在睡前扭动你的脚趾、揉你的肚子或是闻一闻切开的洋葱。如果所有其他方法都失效了，那拿起一本统计学课本：你非常有可能在读到第二页时就睡着了。