However, although sleep seems to be a common denominator of all animals, we still do not really understand the purpose of sleep.

很多為解釋睡眠行為所做的嘗試都表明，睡眠對(duì)腦部修復(fù)或維護(hù)至關(guān)重要。人們一度認(rèn)為，某種毒素在我們醒著的時(shí)候會(huì)在腦部積聚，當(dāng)這種毒素達(dá)到一定含量時(shí)就會(huì)讓睡眠變得不可抗拒。但人們后來(lái)一直都未找到這樣一種物質(zhì)。

Many attempts to explain sleep behavior have shown that sleep is essential for brain repair or maintenance. It was once thought that a certain toxin would accumulate in the brain when we are awake, and when this toxin reaches a certain level, it will make sleep irresistible. But people have never found such a substance.

現(xiàn)代版的觀點(diǎn)解釋稱，我們?cè)诎滋鞎?huì)耗損腦部運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)所需的大分子儲(chǔ)備——如蛋白質(zhì)、核糖核酸和膽固醇，這些大分子在睡眠時(shí)會(huì)得到補(bǔ)充。

The modern version explains that during the day we deplete the reserves of macromolecules necessary for the functioning of the brain-such as protein, ribonucleic acid and cholesterol, which are replenished during sleep.

另一派觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為，睡眠不僅僅是一種維護(hù)性行為，而且肯定在發(fā)揮某種獨(dú)特的積極功能。最廣為人知的觀點(diǎn)可能就是，睡眠有助于我們鞏固記憶，把重要的細(xì)節(jié)置入長(zhǎng)期存儲(chǔ)狀態(tài)。很多實(shí)驗(yàn)都表明，如果我們?cè)趯W(xué)習(xí)和回憶這兩種行為之間加入睡眠環(huán)節(jié)，我們的記憶力會(huì)得到增強(qiáng)。

Another point of view is that sleep is not only a maintenance behavior, but must also play a unique positive function. Perhaps the most well-known view is that sleep helps us consolidate our memories and put important details into long-term storage. Many experiments have shown that if we add sleep between the two behaviors of learning and recalling, our memory will be enhanced.

我們?cè)谒X(jué)的時(shí)候會(huì)循環(huán)經(jīng)歷不同的睡眠階段，而每個(gè)階段很可能有不同的功用。夜間的最初幾個(gè)周期對(duì)于深度睡眠十分重要，而深度睡眠似乎對(duì)于腦部維護(hù)最為重要。后續(xù)周期包括更多的快速眼動(dòng)睡眠，這是我們進(jìn)入生動(dòng)夢(mèng)境的階段，動(dòng)物研究結(jié)果表明，這對(duì)學(xué)習(xí)非常重要。另一方面，一些抗抑郁藥會(huì)抑制快速眼動(dòng)睡眠，但似乎不會(huì)影響人們的記憶力。

When we sleep, we will cycle through different sleep stages, and each stage is likely to have different functions. The first few cycles of the night are very important for deep sleep, and deep sleep seems to be the most important for brain maintenance. Subsequent cycles include more rapid eye movement sleep, which is the stage where we enter a vivid dream, and animal research results show that this is very important for learning. On the other hand, some antidepressants inhibit REM sleep, but they don’t seem to affect people’s memory.

無(wú)論睡眠行為是出于什么原因，它無(wú)疑對(duì)我們的健康非常重要。未獲得充足睡眠會(huì)影響人的情緒、決策、免疫系統(tǒng)和新陳代謝。睡眠不足還是肥胖癥、2型糖尿病以及阿爾茨海默病、精神分裂癥、抑郁癥和雙相情感障礙等一系列精神及神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)疾病的致病風(fēng)險(xiǎn)因素。

Whatever the reason for sleep behavior, it is undoubtedly very important to our health. Not getting enough sleep can affect people's mood, decision-making, immune system and metabolism. Insufficient sleep is also a risk factor for a series of mental and neurological diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.

 

From website: http://www.cankaoxiaoxi.com/