Researchers have found in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep as the brain will allow it.
近年來研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，人體只需要大腦能夠承受的睡眠量即可。

In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, there’s no great requirement for sleep. The big thing is that the brain needs a rest every now and then, and apparently, the brain can refresh itself and go on “l(fā)ike with a full tank of gas” with just a short, 20-minute power nap.
換句話說，只要大腦全力運轉(zhuǎn)，人體就不太需要睡眠。但問題是大腦需要時不時地休息。那么顯然只要花20分鐘打個盹兒，大腦就能恢復過來繼續(xù)卯足勁兒運轉(zhuǎn)了。

These short 20-minute power naps for people who are really engrossed in their work, almost always provide a fresh burst of new ideas and energy. They tend to eliminate the need for caffeine boosts during the workday. And, they guarantee a reserve of energy so that the working day isn’t followed by an evening in which he falls asleep on the couch watching TV or at a social event.
對專心工作的人而言，短短20分鐘的打盹足以提供全新能量激發(fā)創(chuàng)新思維了。而且，打盹還免去了上班用咖啡提神的苦惱。打盹給人體補充能量，保證你下班之后不會邊看電視邊倒在沙發(fā)上睡著，也不會在應酬時顯得疲憊。

10 Reasons for a Power Nap:
好好打個盹的10個理由：

1. Less stress.
釋放壓力

Curling up in a sunny patch on the floor or even lying your head down on your desk for a quick snooze brings relaxation. Research found that stress hormone levels were lower in those who took stress-reducing actions such as napping. Take a break each day from the stresses and reduce your risks, find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused.
蜷在地板灑滿陽光的角落或趴在桌上打個盹兒能使人放松。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，通過打盹等辦法減壓的人，壓力荷爾蒙指數(shù)要低很多。所以，拋開壓力和擔憂，每天找一個安靜舒服的地方打個盹兒， 好好休息一下吧。哪怕只是稍微瞇一會兒都能使你精力恢復、更加專注！

2. Increased alertness and productivity.
提高靈敏性和效率

If you have the opportunity for a power nap, particularly after a poor night of sleep, by all means, take one. You will feel more alert and energetic afterwards, and once rested after your mid-afternoon nap, your mood, efficiency, and alertness level will improve greatly.
如果你有條件打盹，尤其是前一晚還沒睡好的情況下，那無論如何都不能錯過。醒來之后，你會感到更有活力更加靈敏。午后打盹能大大調(diào)動你的情緒、效率還有靈敏性哦。

3. Improved memory and learning.
增強記憶力和學習能力

Naps aren’t just for the very young, old, and sluggish. Daytime dozing may enhance a person’s capacity to learn certain tasks. It looks like napping may protect brain circuits from overuse until those neurons can consolidate what’s been learned about a procedure.
并不是只有老幼病弱的人才需要打盹。白天打盹能增強人們學習某些知識的能力。打盹似乎可以阻止大腦神經(jīng)過度使用，并保證大腦神經(jīng)有時間鞏固已經(jīng)學到的知識。

4. Good for the heart.
有益心臟

Taking 40 winks in the middle of the day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease, particularly in young healthy men, say researchers. So go ahead and nap — a short daily snooze might ward off a heart attack later in life. It is known that countries where siestas are common tend to have lower levels of heart disease.
研究人員表示，白天打盹能降低患心臟病的死亡幾率，這點對年輕健康人群尤甚。所以不妨嘗試一下吧——短短的打盹竟能驅(qū)除日后患心臟病的風險呢。據(jù)了解，常有午休的國家的心臟病幾率要小很多。

5. Increased cognitive functioning
增強認知能力

In a recent study, researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased cognitive faculties by approximately 40 percent! Tests carried out on one thousand volunteers proved that those who continued working without rest, made lower scores in intelligence tests like the IQ test. More importantly, their capacities to work and memorize decreased in comparison to those who napped after lunch.
美國航空航天局研究人員最近發(fā)現(xiàn)，30分鐘的打盹竟能提高近40%的認知能力！在1000名參加試驗的志愿者中，一刻不停地工作的人在智商等方面的測試中得分較低。而且，較之于飯后午休的人，他們的工作和記憶能力都有所下降。

6. Get motivated to exercise
激發(fā)運動

Sufficient sleep and naps help motivate exercise. Some 28 percent of adolescents say they are too tired to exercise, due to sleep. As adults, let’s not let tiredness ruin our jogs. You’re guaranteed to run longer, faster, more efficiently and mindfully when your body has it’s required amount of zzzz’s. So, store-up, shore-up and build-up your energy reserve with a power nap. It’s easy (free!) and proven effective.
充足的睡眠和打盹有助于激發(fā)運動。28%的年輕人表示，由于睡眠不足而沒勁兒運動。作為成年人，就不應該因為疲憊而放棄慢跑。如果你得到充足睡眠的話，肯定能跑得更快更有成效，也更有精氣神兒。所以，何不利用打盹來儲備精力呢，這不僅免費便捷還很管用！

7. Boost your creativity.
拓展創(chuàng)新思維。

Rest and relaxation isn’t only vital to your health — it might also make you a more creative person. People tend to be more imaginative after a good night’s sleep. Other experts agree that taking a nap or stepping away from a problem or project refreshes the mind and could lead to better ideas later. Power napping allows your brain to create the loose associations necessary for creative insight and opens the way for a fresh burst of new ideas. So if you feel stuck, then you might want to take a nap.
休息與放松不僅是健康的關鍵，也是拓展創(chuàng)新思維的重點。一夜好覺后，人們往往更富有想象力。有些專家認為，先打個盹或撇開某個問題或任務反倒能激發(fā)更好的思維想法。打盹能使大腦放松并豁然洞開，迸發(fā)新穎的想法。因此，當你感到大腦短路時，或許該去打個盹兒啦。

8. Make up for midnight tossing and turning.
彌補半夜的輾轉(zhuǎn)反側(cè)

Some of the most recent research suggests that a bad night’s sleep can stress the body as well as the mind. Scientists at the University of Chicago found that sleep deprivation seemed to trigger a diabetes-like condition, harmed hormone production, and interfered with the ability to use carbohydrates. According to some studies, power napping is clearly beneficial to someone who is a normal sleeper but who is getting insufficient sleep at night.
一些最新研究表明，夜里睡不好會增加身心壓力。芝加哥大學的科學家發(fā)現(xiàn)，缺少睡眠會引發(fā)糖尿病等問題，影響荷爾蒙分泌，還會干擾碳水化合能力。根據(jù)某些研究，較之于睡眠正常的人，打盹確實對夜里睡不好的人更有益處。

9. Protect yourself from sleepiness.
趕走瞌睡

Scientists had also found benefits in the “prophylactic” nap for people who have to stay up late. It can protect you from sleepiness. If you have to be up all night, a two-hour or a four-hour nap does provide additional alertness the next day. Research conducted by NASA produced similar results. Naps are clearly useful for some people, including shift workers, students, and anyone doing long-haul work, such as pilots on transcontinental runs.
科學家們還發(fā)現(xiàn)，“預防性”小睡對熬夜的人非常有益，可以趕走困倦。如果你晚上必須熬夜，2-4小時的小睡確實能補充隔天的靈敏性。美國航空航天局的研究也得出了類似結(jié)論。對有些人而言——像輪班族、學生或長途飛行員等從事長途工作的人，小睡的益處不言而喻。

10. Better health.
更健康

Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair, says Dr. Sara Mednick who is at the forefront of napping research. A power nap, says Mednick, simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of rejuvenating sleep as fast as possible.

總而言之，打盹有益心臟運轉(zhuǎn)、荷爾蒙維持正常以及細胞修復——研究打盹的薩拉-梅德尼克博士說道。他表示，打盹能通過盡快獲取睡眠來實現(xiàn)這些作用。

Getting the perfect nap
如何完美打盹

1. The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.
首先要形成正確的心理認識：你要知道這并不是懶惰，小睡之后你會更有效率更加靈敏。

2. Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy.
可以在早晨或午飯后打個盹兒。按照人體生理機制，午后更容易昏昏沉沉陷入深度（慢波）睡眠中。

3. Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep.
避免攝入過量咖啡因或脂肪及含糖量高的食物，不然會妨礙入睡。

4. Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.
相反，在打盹前的一兩個小時，吃一些高鈣和高蛋白的食物，這樣有助于睡眠。

5. Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you.
找一處干凈安靜的地方，以免受到路人或電話的打攪。

6. Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone.
調(diào)暗小睡區(qū)域的光線，或者戴副眼罩。黑暗能刺激促進睡眠的褪黑激素。

7. Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.
別忘了睡著時人體溫度會下降。所以請調(diào)高室內(nèi)溫度或蓋一條毯子。

8. Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration.
當你很放松快要入睡時，別忘了設定好鬧鐘時間。