We spend a third of our lives asleep, yet while it's accepted that sleep is good for health, many people don't realise it's not just the quality and quantity of sleep that matters — it's also the position you adopt.
我们一生中三分之一的时间都在睡觉,虽然睡眠有利于健康的概念被广泛接受,但是很多人并不知道优质的睡眠不取决于质量和时间——也取决于你的睡姿。
FOETAL POSITION
胎儿式睡姿
This is the most common sleeping position in the UK. Sleeping like this can help repair wear and tear in the back.
专家意见:这种睡姿在英国最为普遍,它有助于缓解背部劳累。
Experts advise that sleeping in the foetal position is ideal, as curling the body inwards opens up the back, reducing pressure on the discs and boosting repair.
专家建议说胎儿睡姿是理想型睡姿,将身体向内蜷曲解放了背部,减轻了椎间盘所承受的压力,从而加速修复过程。
However, it is important to ensure that your pillow is not too high or too low, as this can strain the muscles and nerves in the neck, leading to head and neck pain in the morning.
不过,确保你的枕头高度恰当十分重要,因为过高或过低都会使背部肌肉和神经紧张,导致早上起床后头部和背部疼痛。
ACTION: Finding a pillow that properly fills the gap between the shoulders and the neck will help to prevent any neck st
rain or headaches. Get your partner to lie in this position and look at their spine and neck — they should be in a straight line. A pillow propped between the knees can help to keep the spine in alignment and prevent unwanted twisting of the hips and pelvis.支招:找一个刚好能填满肩膀和脖子之间空隙的枕头,这有助于帮你赶走颈部劳损和头痛。让你的伴侣以此睡姿躺好,观察他们的脊柱和颈部——它们应当是在同一直线上。在两膝之间的放置一个枕头,这样有助于保持脊柱笔直,并防止不利健康的臀部与盆骨的弯曲。
SPOONING
拥抱睡姿
Lying in each other's arms can certainly boost the strength of a relationship, and a study found that physical touch, even while sleeping, can reduce feelings of stress in both men and women.
专家意见:躺在彼此臂弯中显然可以增进感情;而除此之外,研究还表明,不论男女,即使是在睡觉时,彼此身体上的接触也可以减轻压力。
However, this position can mean you are forcing your body into a position that can exacerbate existing aches and strains in the joints and muscles.
不过,此睡姿意味着你必须强迫自己的身体保持某一姿势,这会加重已经存在的关节和肌肉的疼痛与劳损。
ACTION: When sharing a bed with a partner, it is important to be selfish about your sleeping arrangements. Find a good starting position that is comfortable for you, even if this means putting distance between the two of you.
支招:当和伴侣同床共枕时,还是多为自己的睡眠想想吧,这听起来很自私,却尤为重要。就寝时快找个自己感觉舒服的睡姿吧,哪怕这可能会使你们两之间产生距离。
RECOVERY POSITION
复原体位睡姿
Known as the recovery position because it's similar to the posture used in medical emergencies, this can help reduce acid reflux and aid indigestion.
之所以被称作复原体位睡姿,是因为它很像医疗急救中采用的姿势,此姿势有助于防止胃酸倒流,改善消化不良。
But though it could relieve a painful stomach, sleeping on your side could worsen wrinkles.
但是尽管有助于缓解胃痛,侧睡可能会加重你的皱纹。
ACTION: If sleeping on your left side doesn't help, and heartburn and indigestion are still proving a problem, prop up the head of your bed slightly, so that the upper body is higher than the stomach. This can help reduce acid reflux when sleeping, as gravity keeps the acid in the stomach.
支招:如果采用左侧侧卧睡,胃灼热和消化不良却仍是问题的话,那就稍稍抬高你的床头,这样你的上半身就会比胃部略高一些。因为重力可以让胃酸流回胃里,所以这样有助于在睡觉时防止胃酸倒流。
THE CORPSE
平躺睡姿
Many sleep experts point out that sleeping on your back is a good option for those who suffer from arthritis and joint pain. This is because sleeping on your back distributes weight evenly throughout the body, without putting strain on any specific area.
许多睡眠专家指出,对于饱受关节炎以及关节疼痛之苦的人来说,脸朝上平躺着睡觉是个不错的选择。这是因为平躺睡姿可以均匀分解身体各个部位的重量,不会让任一部位感到压力。。
However, the same sleep position is well known to aggravate snoring. In this position, the muscles in the jaw and tongue are relaxed, and the jaw and throat sag under the influence of gravity. This causes the throat to become narrower, producing air turbulence which leads to vibration and snoring.
不过,这种睡姿也是以加重打鼾而著名。采用此睡姿时,下巴和舌头的肌肉处于放松状态,在重力的影响下,下巴和喉咙下垂,造成喉咙变窄,空气气流过急, 导致振动和打鼾。
ACTION: If this is your favourite sleeping position, then make sure you invest in a firm pillow. A lack of support for the neck and upper spine can cause tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, resulting in pain. For those who snore only when sleeping on their back, placing a pillow under their upper back may encourage them to change sleeping position and shift onto their side or front.
支招:如果这是你最喜欢的睡姿,那就一定要买个硬枕头。一旦颈部和脊柱上部缺乏支撑,便会导致颈部和肩部的肌肉紧张,并造成疼痛。对于那些只在平躺睡觉时才会打鼾的人,在腰部以上的部位垫个枕头可以有助于他们改变睡姿,从而使其采用侧卧或是俯卧。