为什么你总是觉得累？：英语精读讲义

Some people are so full of life and energy, 短語搭配

有些人总是活力满满、精力充沛，

but for some reason even when you seem to get more than enough sleep, 語法

可不知为什么，即使你看起来已经睡得足够多，

you're still fighting off yawns and fatigue through the day. 短語動詞

白天还是哈欠连天、疲惫不堪。

So, why are you always tired?

那么，你为什么总是这么累？

If you know the number of hours of sleep isn't the problem,

如果你知道问题不在睡眠时长，

the second most common cause of fatigue

那么，导致疲劳的第二常见原因

comes from lack of physical activity and a poor diet.

就是缺乏运动和不健康的饮食。

Study after study finds that adults who began light exercise a few times a week 表達脈絡

一项又一项研究发现，开始每周做几次轻度运动的成年人

reported more energy after 6 weeks.

在6周后表示自己精力更充沛了。

People who exercise more regularly also report sleeping better,

经常锻炼的人也表示自己睡得更好，

even though studies show that they aren't sleeping any longer. 語法

尽管研究显示，他们的睡眠时间并没有变长。

But if that doesn't help,

但如果这样也没用，

don't go straight for your cup of Joe. 講解

别马上去喝咖啡。

While many studies show coffee is good for your health,

尽管许多研究表明咖啡有益健康，

research shows that your reliance on it can make you more sleepy. 短語搭配

研究也显示，依赖咖啡反而会让你更困。

Caffeine blocks adenosine in your brain,

咖啡因会阻断大脑中的腺苷，

which normally accumulates the day

腺苷通常会在白天不断积累，

and makes you sleepy at night.

让你在晚上产生困意。

But consuming coffee or energy drinks

但是，如果你喝咖啡或能量饮料

less than 6 hours before bed

是在睡前6小时内，

can ultimately affect your sleep quality.

最终就会影响你的睡眠质量。

As a result, people who don't use caffeine often 表達脈絡

因此，不常摄入咖啡因的人

report feeling less tired in the mornings.

表示自己早上没那么疲倦。

You might consider making sure you're fully hydrated 語法

你也可以考虑确保自己水分充足，

with some water first, too.

先喝点水。

One study found that a drop of 1.5% 短語搭配

一项研究发现，哪怕只有1.5%的降幅

in our body's normal water levels

出现在我们体内的正常含水量上，

can cause difficulty concentrating. 語法

也会导致注意力难以集中。

Your blood thickens, which slows down nutrients and oxygen 短語動詞

你的血液会变得黏稠，从而减慢营养物质和氧气

getting to your muscles and organs.

输送到肌肉和器官的速度。

However, a 2% drop is enough to make you feel thirsty.

不过，含水量下降2%就足以让你感到口渴。

So, while there's no need to be gulping down gallons of water, 講解

所以，虽然没必要一口气灌下好几加仑的水，

staying hydrated throughout the day will certainly help.

但全天保持水分充足肯定会有帮助。

Urine should be pale yellow.

尿液应该呈淡黄色。

Any darker and it's time for some water. 語法

如果颜色更深，就该喝点水了。

Those glasses of wine or beers before bed

睡前喝下的那几杯葡萄酒或啤酒

may also be affecting your day.

也可能会影响你白天的状态。

Studies have found that after becoming intoxicated,

研究发现，受试者喝醉后，

while test subjects would fall asleep faster, 短語搭配

虽然会更快入睡，

their quality of sleep was actually much lower,

但他们的睡眠质量其实低得多，

particularly during the second half of their night's sleep.

尤其是在后半夜。

Ultimately, alcohol reduces the amount of REM sleep you get. 文化背景

归根结底，酒精会减少你的快速眼动（REM）睡眠时间。

And if you're binge drinking and sleeping in on the weekends, 講解

如果你周末会狂饮并睡懒觉，

be aware that a consistent sleep schedule is key. 講解

要知道，保持规律的睡眠作息至关重要。

Try waking up close to your normal time on weekends 語法

周末尽量在接近平时的时间起床，

and having short 20-minute naps in the day. 語法

白天再小睡20分钟。

These will still recharge your body

这样仍能让身体恢复精力，

without going into deep sleep and making you more tired. 語法

又不会因进入深度睡眠而让你更累。

You're also more likely to fall asleep at the correct time on Sunday evening,

你也更有可能在周日晚上按时入睡，

making Monday morning easier. 語法

让周一早晨轻松一些。

Of course, your mental well-being plays a role, too. 短語搭配

当然，你的心理健康状况也起着作用。

Anxiety is a big one. 語法

焦虑就是一大因素。

worrying what people think, always feeling tense about work, 語法

担心别人怎么看自己、总是因工作而紧张，

or being overly concerned about every decision

或对每一个决定都过度担忧，

can be physically exhausting.

都会让身体筋疲力尽。

And fatigue is one of the main symptoms

而且，疲劳是

of generalized anxiety disorder.

广泛性焦虑障碍的主要症状之一。

Not only that, but anxiety may be affecting your sleep quality. 表達脈絡

不仅如此，焦虑还可能影响你的睡眠质量。

On another serious end,

另一个严重的问题是，

depression can cause both physical and emotional fatigue,

抑郁会同时造成身体和情绪上的疲劳，

which more sleep won't necessarily relieve. 語法

而多睡觉并不一定能缓解这种疲劳。

For some, it causes insomnia

对有些人来说，抑郁会导致失眠，

or the inability to fall asleep in the first place. 習語

或让人根本无法入睡。

Unfortunately, there's no quick fix for the 10% of Americans 習語

遗憾的是，对那10%的美国人而言，并没有什么速效办法，

who do suffer from depression. 語法

这些人确实患有抑郁症。

So, if you think you may be depressed,

所以，如果你觉得自己可能患有抑郁症，

see your physician or psychologist. 用詞

请咨询医生或心理学家。

Finally, you might also simply be a night owl. 習語

最后，你也可能只是个夜猫子。

Around 20% of the population have genetics

大约20%的人具有某些遗传特征，

making them predisposed to staying up late. 用詞

让他们天生就更倾向于晚睡。

But living in our 9-to-5 world 文化背景

但生活在这个朝九晚五的世界里，

may make it difficult for you to get the proper amount of sleep. 語法

可能会让你难以获得足够的睡眠。

In fact, scientists call this phenomenon social jet lag, 文化背景

事实上，科学家把这种现象称为“社交时差”，

where night owls feel like they're living 語法

在这种情况下，夜猫子会觉得自己

in the wrong time zone every day.

每天都生活在错误的时区。

If nothing seems to help,

如果似乎什么办法都没用，

there may be an underlying medical condition causing your fatigue, 用詞

可能是某种潜在疾病导致了你的疲劳，

which should be talked about with your physician.

你应该就此咨询医生。

Got a burning question you want answered? 習語

你有迫切想得到解答的问题吗？

Ask it in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter.

欢迎在评论区，或者到 Facebook 和 Twitter 上提问。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

也请订阅频道，每周观看更多科学视频。