為什麼你總是覺得累？：英語精讀講義

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

有些人總是活力十足、精力充沛，

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

但不知為什麼，即使你看起來已經睡得很充足，

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

白天還是呵欠連連、疲憊不堪。

So, why are you always tired?

那麼，你為什麼總是這麼累？

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

如果你知道問題不在睡眠時數，

the second most common cause of fatigue

那麼，造成疲勞的第二常見原因

comes from lack of physical activity and a poor diet.

就是缺乏運動和不健康的飲食。

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

一項又一項研究發現，開始每週做幾次輕度運動的成年人

reported more energy after 6 weeks.

在6週後表示自己更有精神了。

People who exercise more regularly also report sleeping better,

經常運動的人也表示自己睡得更好，

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

儘管研究顯示，他們的睡眠時間並沒有變長。

But if that doesn't help,

但如果這樣也沒用，

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

別立刻去喝咖啡。

While many studies show coffee is good for your health,

雖然許多研究顯示咖啡有益健康，

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

研究也顯示，依賴咖啡反而會讓你更想睡。

Caffeine blocks adenosine in your brain,

咖啡因會阻斷大腦中的腺苷，

which normally accumulates the day

腺苷通常會在白天不斷累積，

and makes you sleepy at night.

讓你到了晚上產生睡意。

But consuming coffee or energy drinks

但是，如果你喝咖啡或能量飲料

less than 6 hours before bed

是在睡前6小時內，

can ultimately affect your sleep quality.

最終就會影響你的睡眠品質。

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

因此，不常攝取咖啡因的人

report feeling less tired in the mornings.

表示自己早上沒那麼疲倦。

You might consider making sure you're fully hydrated 文法

你也可以考慮確保自己水分充足，

with some water first, too.

先喝點水。

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

一項研究發現，即使只有1.5%的降幅

in our body's normal water levels

出現在我們體內的正常含水量上，

can cause difficulty concentrating. 文法

也會讓人難以集中注意力。

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

你的血液會變得濃稠，進而減慢營養和氧氣

getting to your muscles and organs.

輸送到肌肉與器官的速度。

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

不過，含水量下降2%就足以讓你覺得口渴。

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

所以，雖然沒必要一口氣灌下好幾加侖的水，

staying hydrated throughout the day will certainly help.

但一整天保持水分充足肯定會有幫助。

Urine should be pale yellow.

尿液應該呈淡黃色。

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

如果顏色更深，就該喝點水了。

Those glasses of wine or beers before bed

睡前喝下的那幾杯葡萄酒或啤酒

may also be affecting your day.

也可能會影響你白天的狀態。

Studies have found that after becoming intoxicated,

研究發現，受試者喝醉後，

while test subjects would fall asleep faster, 片語搭配

雖然會更快入睡，

their quality of sleep was actually much lower,

但他們的睡眠品質其實低得多，

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

尤其是在後半夜。

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

總的來說，酒精會減少你的快速動眼（REM）睡眠時間。

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

如果你週末會狂飲並睡到很晚，

be aware that a consistent sleep schedule is key. 講解

要知道，維持規律的睡眠作息至關重要。

Try waking up close to your normal time on weekends 文法

週末儘量在接近平常的時間起床，

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

白天再小睡20分鐘。

These will still recharge your body

這樣仍能讓身體恢復精力，

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

又不會因進入深度睡眠而讓你更累。

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

你也更有可能在週日晚上按時入睡，

making Monday morning easier. 文法

讓週一早上輕鬆一些。

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

當然，你的心理健康狀況也會有所影響。

Anxiety is a big one. 文法

焦慮就是一大因素。

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

擔心別人怎麼看自己、總是因工作而緊張，

or being overly concerned about every decision

或對每個決定都過度憂心，

can be physically exhausting.

都會讓身體筋疲力盡。

And fatigue is one of the main symptoms

而且，疲勞是

of generalized anxiety disorder.

廣泛性焦慮症的主要症狀之一。

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

不只如此，焦慮還可能影響你的睡眠品質。

On another serious end,

另一個嚴重的問題是，

depression can cause both physical and emotional fatigue,

憂鬱症會同時造成身體和情緒上的疲勞，

which more sleep won't necessarily relieve. 文法

而多睡覺不一定能緩解這種疲勞。

For some, it causes insomnia

對有些人來說，憂鬱症會造成失眠，

or the inability to fall asleep in the first place. 慣用語

或讓人根本無法入睡。

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

不幸的是，對那10%的美國人而言，並沒有什麼速效方法，

who do suffer from depression. 文法

這些人確實患有憂鬱症。

So, if you think you may be depressed,

所以，如果你覺得自己可能有憂鬱症，

see your physician or psychologist. 用詞

請諮詢醫師或心理師。

Finally, you might also simply be a night owl. 慣用語

最後，你也可能只是個夜貓子。

Around 20% of the population have genetics

大約20%的人具有某些遺傳特徵，

making them predisposed to staying up late. 用詞

讓他們天生就更傾向於晚睡。

But living in our 9-to-5 world 文化背景

但生活在這個朝九晚五的世界裡，

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

可能會讓你難以獲得足夠的睡眠。

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

事實上，科學家把這種現象稱為「社交時差」，

where night owls feel like they're living 文法

在這種情況下，夜貓子會覺得自己

in the wrong time zone every day.

每天都活在錯誤的時區。

If nothing seems to help,

如果看來什麼方法都沒用，

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

可能是某種潛在疾病造成你的疲勞，

which should be talked about with your physician.

你應該就此諮詢醫師。

Got a burning question you want answered? 慣用語

你有迫切想知道答案的問題嗎？

Ask it in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter.

歡迎在留言區，或到 Facebook 和 Twitter 上提問。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

也請訂閱頻道，每週收看更多科學影片。