Counting sheep is just not working for an army of sleep-deprived Britons, figures show. Recent studies suggest that a shocking 38 per cent of adults here don't get enough kip. This puts as among the worst countries in the world for a good night's sleep. But experts agree lack of rest has a drastic effect on our mood and ?motivation.

数据表明，数羊对睡眠不足的英国人来说并不适用。近期研究表明：38%的成年人都没有充足睡眠，令人震惊吧！所以，英国在'世界上难以一夜好眠的国家'中占有一席之地。但专家认为休息不足会对我们的心情及动力产生巨大影响。

Sleep alone

一个人睡

Sharing a bed with your partner might feel comforting but it is not helping¹ you doze² off. Couples who bed down together have lighter³ sleep and move around more in the night ?compared with those who have the covers to themselves. They also experience less REM sleep - the rapid eye ?movement phase that is typically associated with dreaming and is so important because it allows the body ?to recharge and replenish⁴.

与另一半共睡一张床会让你感到安心，但却对入睡没有帮助。一起睡的伴侣睡眠更浅，夜间动的次数也更多--相比分被子睡的情侣而言。他们快速眼球运动睡眠的阶段也更少--这种睡眠通常与做梦相关，而且十分重要，因为它会给身体充电、补充。

生活方式改变一小步，睡眠促进一大步.jpg

Sleeping apart might not just save your rest but also your relationship. A recent study found that people who sleep badly have a higher divorce rate, engage in more arguments and suffer from a lack of empathy.

分开睡不仅有利于休息，而且有助于恋情发展。最近的一项研究发现：睡眠不好的人离婚率更高、更容易争吵、没什么同情心。

Do not eat before bedtime

睡前不要吃东西

As your body burns off calories from the food you eat it creates heat and a raised body temperature can interrupt a sound night's sleep. To make matters worse your body's metabolism⁵ also slows down when you fall asleep, causing any undigested calories to be stored as fat and potentially lead to weight gain. Eating your supper three or four hours before bedtime is best because it allows your body time to digest and metabolise.

当身体燃烧你摄入食物的热量时，热量就会随之产生，体温升高会扰乱人们的夜间睡眠。更糟的是，睡着后，身体新陈代谢的速度也会减慢，使未消化的卡路里存储为脂肪，从而可能导致体重增加。睡前三至四小时吃晚饭最佳，因为这给了身体消化和新陈代谢的时间。

The eight hour myth

为何要睡八小时

It is a common misconception that eight hours' sleep is the recommended amount needed by everyone each night. Sleep need is as individual as height. It is genetically⁶ determined⁷. But everyone is different when it comes to how much sleep they need in order to wake up rested and refreshed.

人们经常会有这样的误解：建议人们每晚睡八小时。睡眠需求和身高一样，因人而异。这是由遗传决定的。但关于人们需要多长的时间以保证醒来时神清气爽这一问题，每个人不尽相同。

Some might survive off five while others will not feel at their best with less than nine. Work out how much sleep you need to perform best the next day - to be focused and feel awake. Then you should consistently try to get this amount of shut-eye each night to ?maintain a healthy schedule.

有些人睡5个小时就够了，但有些人却至少得睡9个小时。算算自己需要多长时间的睡眠才能在第二天展现最好的状态吧--集中注意力，保持清醒。之后，你应该不断尝试，保证自己每晚都能睡这么久--以保持健康的作息时间。