Does Counting Sheep Actually Help You Fall Asleep?“數綿羊”真的能幫你入睡嗎?

宋琪

Counting sheep is probably the oldest sleep advice, as old as drinking a warm glass of milk. But it turns out counting sheep perhaps wont bring you into the Land of Nod1. “It is only one of those old wives tales2,” says Michael Decker, Ph.D., a sleep specialist and associate professor at Case Western School of Nursing.

“數綿羊”也許是最古老的幫助睡眠的建議，和睡前喝杯熱牛奶一樣古老。但事實上這一方法可能并不能帶你進入夢鄉?！斑@只是老婆婆們講的一個故事而已，”凱斯西儲大學護理學院的睡眠專家邁克爾·德克爾教授這樣說道。

One theory is that the idea originated when early sheep herders3 couldnt get to sleep at night because they were worried about all of the sheep in their field. So they would soothe4 themselves by counting the herd up to make sure they were all safe.

關于“數綿羊”來源的其中一個說法是，以前牧羊人在晚上會因為操心牧場里的羊而睡不著覺，因此他們每天晚上都會數綿羊，確保它們都安然無恙后才能放心。

But this method probably wont work when you find it difficult to sleep. When falling asleep, it tends to be more helpful to occupy the mind with something relaxing and passive, rather than active. “You have to keep track of5 those sheep. It takes a lot of work to count them all up,” Decker says.

可是當你真的難以入眠時，這一方法也許根本起不到任何作用。因為當人們想要入睡時，讓大腦處于放松的、被動的狀態比使之保持活躍的狀態更有效果。“在大腦中數綿羊就需要一直記錄綿羊的個數，這會使大腦一直處于工作狀態?！钡驴藸柸缡钦f。

A modern farmer asked an animal scientist at the USDAs Sheep Experiment Station, who actually counts real sheep, whether the task induces6 sleepiness. “I tried counting sheep once and no, it did not help me fall asleep ... Its hard to imagine sheep jumping a fence because it is not something they do unless you dont want them to.

有一位現代牧場主在難以入睡時會去數真正的綿羊，他去問美國農業部綿羊實驗站的一名動物科學家，這樣做是否真的可以幫助他入睡。農場主說：“我曾試過數綿羊，可是沒有效果，這并不能幫我入睡……很難想象綿羊跳過柵欄的場景，因為如果不讓它們這樣做它們絕不會跳柵欄的?！?/p>

A better method might be to use your brain power to conjure up a relaxing scene, such as a soothing beach. In fact, a 2001 study published in the journal Behavior Research and Therapy showed that among a group of people with insomnia7, those who used “imagery distraction8,” fell asleep faster (and with less stress) than those who werent given any instructions. The study participants were instructed to imagine “a situation they found interesting and engaging9, but also pleasant and relaxing.”

幫助入睡的更好的辦法就是在大腦中想象一個使人放松的場景，比如一個舒適的沙灘。事實上，2001年的《行為研究與治療》雜志上發表的一項研究結果顯示：在患有失眠癥的人們中間，使用“場景想象法”的人們比那些沒有受到任何睡眠建議的人們入睡得更快。專家建議那些研究對象幻想一個他們認為有趣的，吸引人的，并且使人愉快和放松的場景。

Decker agrees that this type of guided imagery seems to be the best strategy to calm a racing mind. Try picturing a beautiful waterfall or planning a relaxing vacation. “We dont want to do anything that involves10 significant thought processing.” he says.

這種有指導性的想象應該是讓不斷運作的大腦冷靜下來最好的方式了，德克爾也對此表示認同。試著在大腦中構建一幅美麗瀑布的畫面，亦或是計劃一次輕松愉快的度假。他說：“我們不建議在準備入睡之時讓大腦進行深入思考。”

Other tried-and-true11 tricks for falling asleep include progressive muscle relaxation, meditation or a warm bath before bed. And if you cant fall asleep after 30 or so minutes in bed, sleep experts often advice you to get up and do something quiet and non-stimulating until you feel tired again, so your brain doesnt start to associate12 the bed as a place for wakefulness13.

其它一些比較靠譜的入睡技巧包括漸進式的肌肉放松法、冥想法和睡前的熱水澡。另外，如果你上床后30分鐘都無法入睡，專家建議在這時要起床做一些平靜的，不會使大腦興奮的事情，直到再次感到困倦，這樣你的大腦就不會把床與失眠這兩者關聯起來。

[1] Land of Nod 睡鄉，睡夢之鄉 [2] tale n. 故事；傳說

[3] herder n. 牧人 [4] soothe vt. 安慰；使平靜；緩和

[5] keep track of 記錄；與…保持聯系 [6] induce vt. 誘導；引起

[7] insomnia n. 失眠癥，失眠 [8] distraction n. 注意力分散；消遣

[9] engaging adj. 迷人的 [10] involve vt. 包含；牽涉；使陷于；潛心于

[11] tried-and-true adj. 經過檢驗而可靠的；靠得住的

[12] associate vt. 聯想；使聯合；使發生聯系 [13] wakefulness n. 覺醒；不眠