How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?
睡眠会如何影响心理健康？
王淑怡 供稿
Insomnia is a common problem throughout the world. According to estimates, it is believed to affect approximately 33% of the world’s population. Even people without chronic insomnia often struggle with sleep problems. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), a third of adults in the U.S. report that they get less than 7 hours each night. Because of this, it is important to understand the potential impact that lack of sleep may have on health.
失眠是全球普遍存在的问题。据估计，全世界大约有33%的人受到失眠的影响。即使没有慢性失眠的人也经常会出现睡眠问题。美国疾病控制和预防中心的数据显示，美国三分之一的成年人每晚的睡眠时间少于7小时。正因如此，了解睡眠不足对健康的潜在影响至关重要。
The Relationship Between Sleep and Mental Health
睡眠和心理健康的关系
It’s no secret that sleep plays an important role in good physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling irritable and exhausted in the short-term, but it can also have serious long-term health consequences as well. Lack of sleep is linked to a number of unfavorable health consequences including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression.
众所周知，睡眠对人们的生理和心理健康起着重要作用。睡眠不足会让人在短期内感到烦躁和疲惫，长期来看，也会对健康产生严重影响。睡眠不足和很多疾病息息相关，包括心脏病、Ⅱ型糖尿病和抑郁症等。
Research suggests that the relationship between sleep and mental health is complex. While sleep disorder has long been known to be a consequence of many psychiatric conditions, more recent views suggest that sleep problems can also worsen mental health problems.
研究表明，睡眠和心理健康的关系十分复杂。长期以来，人们认为许多精神疾病会导致睡眠障碍，但最近的观点表明，睡眠问题也会加剧心理健康问题。
How to cope with sleep disorders？
如何应对睡眠障碍？
The recommendations for treating poor sleep or sleep disturbances are generally the same whether or not you have a psychiatric condition. Preliminary approaches usually focus on lifestyle changes you can make. Avoiding sleep interrupters (such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol) and practicing good sleep habits are examples of lifestyle changes you can make that can help.
无论是否患有精神疾病，治疗睡眠不佳或睡眠障碍的方法通常别无二致。可以从改变生活习惯做起，避免睡眠干扰物（如咖啡因、尼古丁和酒精等）和培养良好的睡眠习惯，这些生活方式的改变都有助于挽救你的睡眠。
In addition to seeking help from medical professionals, there are also steps that you can take on your own to improve your sleep and well-being. Having good sleep hygiene is good for sleep health. Here are some things you can do:
除了寻求专业医疗人士的帮助，还可以自行采取措施来改善睡眠和健康。培养良好的睡眠卫生习惯对睡眠健康大有裨益。这里有几个方法：
Limit napping. Too much sleep during the day can have an effect on your ability to fall asleep at night. Naps of 20 to 30 minutes a day can help you feel more alert and rested without interrupting your nightly sleep.
午睡时间不宜过长。白天睡眠时间过长会让你晚上难以入眠。每天小睡20到30分钟既能让你得到放松，又能让你更有精神，而且不会影响夜间的睡眠。
Establish a nightly routine. Take a bath, read a book, or practice a few minutes of meditation to calm your body. Repeat these routines each night to help set the mood for a solid night’s sleep.
养成固定的夜间作息。洗个澡，读本书，或者进行几分钟冥想，让身体平静下来。每天晚上重复这些事情能够帮助你营造安稳入睡的氛围。
Avoid caffeine or stimulants too close to bedtime. Consuming coffee, soda, or other caffeinated products in the late afternoon or evening can make it difficult to fall asleep.
避免晚间摄入咖啡因或其他含兴奋剂的食品。傍晚或夜间摄入咖啡、苏打水或其他含咖啡因的产品会让人难以入睡。
Turn off your devices. Watching television or playing on your phone at bedtime can make it more difficult to relax and settle down for sleep. Try putting your phone in a different room and investing in a clock radio for your bedside table.
关掉电子设备。睡前看电视或玩手机会让人难以放松下来入睡。试着把手机放到另一个房间，另外买一个带闹钟的收音机放在床头吧！
Talk to a mental health professional if you suspect that your sleep problems might be caused by or contributing to a mental health condition. Depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders can interfere with sleep – but addressing your sleep problems may also have a positive impact on your psychological symptoms.
如果你怀疑自己的睡眠问题是心理健康疾病导致的，那么请咨询心理健康专家。抑郁、焦虑和其他精神疾病会影响睡眠，但解决睡眠问题也会对你的心理健康状况产生积极影响。
【VOCABULARY】
1. insomnia n. 失眠，失眠症
2. chronic adj. 慢性的，长期的
3. diabetes n. 糖尿病
4. sleep disorder 睡眠障碍，失眠
5. disturbance n. （身体）不适，心神不安
6. psychiatric adj. （与）精神病（有关）的
7. stimulant n. 兴奋剂
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