Afternoon Nap – Our Natural Energy Booster
午觉- 天然地人体健康充电法
By Stephanie Lai, Joras
Many city dwellers suffer from lack of
rest due to the pressure of their busy work life. As we all know, continual
lack of rest will affect the mind and body. Therefore, besides a good night’s
sleep, a short nap is recommended to boost work performance. Acknowledged by
both Chinese and Western doctors, the practice of afternoon napping offers
numerous benefits.
忙碌的都市人，最缺乏的就是休息。每日工作的压力，都会影响我们身体的机能。除了在夜晚有个安逸的睡眠之外，在周末悠闲的午后里能够抽出半个小时来稍歇片刻，其实在精神上对于应付周日工作是有非常大的帮助。无论是从中医或者是国外的研究报告结果，都显示了睡午觉是最好的“健康充电”之一。午觉益处多，而这些益处到底是有哪些呢？让我们来瞧瞧吧…
1.
Lower blood
pressure. Overseas researches proved that work pressure may cause blood
pressure to increase. An afternoon nap will lower blood pressure.
降低血压。
国外医学院研究人员发现，工作压力能使人的血压升高，如果在午间时分能够小睡片刻，有助于降低血压。
2. Protect heart’s condition. A study from Greece
revealed that a 30 minute nap taken three times a week can reduce the risk of
sudden heart failure by 37%. Researchers also believe that afternoon nap can
relieve the cardiovascular system and reduce the body’s level of tension.
保护心脏机能。 希腊的一项研究显示，每午睡30分钟，每周至少3次，心脏猝死的风险能够降低37%。而研究人员也认为，午休能舒缓心血管系统，降低人体的紧绷度。
1 3. Improve immunity. Sleep experts from the German
Institute of Psychiatry found that napping in the afternoon can effectively
stimulate lymphocytes and enhance the body’s immune system.
提高免疫力。 来自德国的精神研究所的睡眠专家发现，人在白天中午一点是处于睡眠高峰，在这个时候短睡， 有效的刺激内淋巴细胞，增强免疫细胞活跃性。
4. Enhance memory.
Researches from the USA found that napping can significantly improve memory and
brain’s alertness.
增强记忆力。
美国研究人员发现，通过睡午觉使人的精力及警觉性得到大幅度提升。不但能消除疲劳，还能增强记忆力。
5. Uplifting the
mood. Psychologists from the University of Harvard found that afternoon nap can
improve mood and consequently reduce depression caused by stress and tension.
振奋情绪。美国哈佛大学心理学家发现，睡午觉能够舒解压力，亦能改善心情及降低紧张度，也能够舒解抑郁的情绪。
