(Bilingual post) 追隨國外多位大師學習並力行試驗養生方法多年，如果要把所有有效的方法萃取出來回答這樣的一個問題：「在所有養生、強身、長壽的數百上千種都是有效的方法裡，如果讓你只能挑一件事來做，哪件事會是你的選擇？」 我的答案，包括國外大部分專家的答案，都會是很一致的：每晚睡個好覺 ～
I have followed many masters to learn and experiment with regimens for optimal health for many years. If I were asked to answer such question: “Among all the hundreds of regimens you have learned for physical fitness, optimal health, and longevity, if you can only pick one to do, what would be your choice?” My answer, including the answer from all the masters I follow, will be very consistent: a good night sleep.
怎樣才算是睡個好覺？這個議題必須用另外一篇文章探討，但簡單的來說，好的睡眠不只是時間要夠，品質也要好，品質不只是指你有沒有睡得很安穩、有沒有醒過來，還包括可量化的一些數據，細節以後再討論。今天想分享的是有哪些因素會影響你的睡眠品質，也就是做哪些事可以讓你的睡眠品值提高。下面分享的20種方法裡有些項目必須另闢文章深入討論，今天只先逐項列出，根據我的體驗大概以影響的程度排列，號碼越大的越有效，列在最下面。另，這些因素的效果排名會因人而異，不過差異不會太大。
What makes a good night sleep? The answer deserves another long article. But in simple terms, good sleep is not just about how long you are on bed, but also about how you sleep (the quality). Sleeping through the night without waking-up does not necessarily equate to good quality sleep. Scientifically there are quantifiable metrics. The details will be discussed in future articles. What I would like to share today is what factors will affect your sleep quality; that is, what you can do to improve your sleep quality. Some of the 20 regimens below deserve separate articles to elaborate. On the list below, I will just name each of them with a brief definition. They are listed in the order of efficacy based on my personal experience, with the most effective listed at the end. Like everything in functional medicine, please take individuality into account.
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- 固定重複的睡前事項；睡前半小時或1小時盡量安排固定的事情(routine)來做，讓心情沉澱下來；例如，洗臉刷牙、把明天一早要出門的東西先打點好、吃睡前該吃的營養補給品、把燈光和空調調好、繼續讀昨晚在讀的書(女生請自行加入卸妝、貼面膜)… Try to have a bedtime routine, when you get the same things done half or an hour before going to bed to let your mood settle down. For example, wash your face and brush your teeth, get your morning items in order, take your pro-sleep supplements (if any), adjust the lighting and air conditioning, continue reading the book you were reading the night before (girls please add make-up removal, skin-care mask, etc.)
- 就寢時間盡量固定，不要差異太大 (Try to go to bed around the same time every night.)
- 閱讀；建議讀靈修、科幻、浪漫的書，避免勵志、管理方面的書 Read a few page of your favorite book,, ideally books of topics in spiritual, sci-fi, romantic stories. Avoid topics such as personal development and business management.
- 把所有臥室內及附近的所有發出強烈電磁場(EMF)的來源關掉，包刮：手機轉飛安模式、關掉WiFi發射器(路由器)、床頭牆上電源插孔的插頭全部拔掉。現代文明產物的有些電器會發出強烈的電磁場，不只影響睡眠品質，長期累積對健康有害。Turn off all devices that emit electronic magnetic field signals, including smart phone, wifi routers, bluetooth devices. Unplug all cables from outlets on the wall, especially the wall behind your pillow.
- 接地（earthing)，有兩種方式：原始的方法是打赤腳到泥土地或草皮上走一走，比較方便的方法就是去買所謂的「接地床單」(earthing bedsheet) 當作你的床墊睡在上面 Do some earthing. You can talk a barefoot walk on soil or a lawn outside. You can also buy and use one of those earthing bedsheet.
- 用 3M膚色貼布 一小片把上下唇貼住，避免睡著後嘴張開打呼 Use a 3M Micropore tape to tape your lips together. It will prevent you from snoring, which is a key contributor to poor sleep.
- 中午或下午三、四點後避免喝咖啡 (因為每人體質不同，可以多晚喝不影響睡眠因人而異 Don’t drink coffee after mid-afternoon. People who are not a good caffeine metaboliser may want to avoid coffee after noon time.
- 傍晚或睡前去給師傅按摩 或自己做滾筒拉筋放鬆 Get a massage in the evening before bedtime.
- 睡前吃幫助睡眠的補給品，例如： 鎂(magnesium)、甘氨酸 (glycine)、胺基丁酸 (GABA)、 黑髪素 (melatonin)、 西番蓮花粹取液 (Passion flower extract)。這幾種補給品因為製程和化學結構的不同每種都有不同的型態（粉裝膠囊、錠片、口服液、甚至抹在皮膚上的精油），有效性也有差異，不建議大家就自己去買來吃，想進一步了解的可以私訊我。Take pro-sleep supplements such as magnesium, glycine, GABA, melatonin, and Passion flower extract.
- 使用頭部電療器 (Cranial Electronic Stimulator, CES)。有效的品牌可能不多，要慎選。我用過有效的是 Fisher Wallace 公司研發製造的 Circadia. (FDA approved.) Use a Cranial Electronic Stimulator (CES). I have used Circadia by Fisher Wallace. It helps.
- 使用 搏動電磁場理療器 (PEMF devices, Pulse Electronic Magnetic Field) 調整腦波接近睡眠狀態的腦波。這絕不是科幻小說，我每天使用已有半年，的確有效，以後再另寫文章分享細節。不過這裡先說明一點，雖然上面有提到強烈的電磁場EMF會影響睡眠，比較低頻的某些特定頻率電磁波對睡眠和人體健康卻是有幫助的。品牌要慎選，我用過有效的是 FlexPulse Portable PEMF System. Use a PEMF (Pulse Electronic Magnetic Field) device. I have used FlexPulse. It can also be used to treat sport injury and even help adjust circadian rhythm after a cross-continent flight.
- 白天多做運動，運動量必須有被操到、累到的感覺，對一般人來說應該是60到90分鐘的運動量，跑步、騎車、游泳或重訓，慢走或快走效果應該不夠。不過要注意，強度大量也大的運動如果是在睡前大約三個小時內做的話，反而會降低睡眠品質。Exercise during day time but at least 3 hours before bedtime. It should be at least 45 minutes, make you sweat and feel tired (or high) afterwards. Exercise under sunshine is even more effective for promoting sleep in the evening.
- 臥室温度 建議維持在24度C左右，穿短褲短袖不蓋被子；如果有蓋一條薄被，室溫最好降低到21度C。大家可能會覺得很意外的一個原則是：睡覺時你的身體軀幹溫度越低越容易睡得好（但腳鴨子剛好相反，兩腳太冷會較難入睡）。Keep the temperature of your bedroom around 21 degree C (70 degree F) throughout the night. Lowered core temperature promotes better sleep.
- 睡前三個小時避免進食，少量的營養補給品如果含有蛋白質或碳水化合物沒有關係。Avoid meal and dessert in the 3 hours before bedtime.
- 白天多曬太陽，穿短袖短褲曬一個小時是理想的程度，少於這樣的量幫助就不大了；另外，辦公室上班族白天多待在戶外用祼眼(不戴太陽眼鏡)看陽光下的景像也會有幫助。Exposure to sunshine during day time helps your sleep that night. At least 30 minutes. A few hours would be ideal. Exposure in the morning is better that that in the afternoon.
- 臥室完全黑暗，沒有任何光源，包括鬧鐘上的LED數字或空調上的一小點光都要避免；窗簾一定要不透光，以免早上起床前臥室太亮；以上做不到的話就戴眼罩睡。Keep your bedroom 100% dark. Don’t allow any light source, not even the tiny LED glowing on the AC machine, not to say those on an alarm clock. Windows should have opaque curtain to block the light during early morning hours when you are still on bed. Use of an eye can be very helpful.
- 睡前一、兩個小時不要或減少看藍光的東西，包括：電視電腦螢幕、手機、平板電腦。甚至現代人家裡所有除了鎢絲燈泡以外的光源（日光燈、節能LED燈，即使是黃色的光）都是藍光光源，只是比較不傷手機和電腦螢幕那樣那麼傷害睡眠。（光，不可影響你的睡眠，其實對人體的健康有很多層面的影響，在醫學上是比較新的一個領域，這方面的文章我以後會分享）Avoid looking at any blue light screens, including smartphone, computer and TV screen, and those bright lights in a store or shopping mall within 2 hours before bedtime. Actually, most indoor lightings these days are considered blue light. They are just a but less harmful than TV and computer screens.
- 睡前服用少量大麻二酚(CBD, Cannabidiol)．特別說明兩點：
A. 大麻萃取物主要有兩種：CBD 和 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, 四氫大麻酚)． CBD 對人體有很多好處，在美國很多州已開放 ；THC 有迷幻藥的功能，在美國也還是禁止販賣的．
B, 在台灣CBD好像也還未開放，至少不能公開販賣，所以請不要問我CBD去哪裡買 。我是在美國度假時在當地使用過，知道對幫助睡眠有很好的效果。Taking CBD (Cannabidiol) has been scientifically proved to help sleep. Just don’t mix up CBD with THC. - 晚餐，尤其睡前，不要喝酒；即使小酌也會影響睡眠品質。就算喝得夠多，把你撂倒馬上入睡，而且隔天睡到很晚才起床，那只是假象，我多次經驗用專業儀器量測，每次酒喝多了，即使在床上”睡”了七、八個小時，深層睡眠時間一定是接近零！No alcohol in the 3 or 4 hours before bedtime.
- 絕招 XX – 這是我實驗過最有效的方法，效果驚人，只是要做到不容易，這個方法有點深奧，需要另闢專文介紹，先讓我賣個關子～ 😉 The ultimate solution – let me reveal that in the next post. Stay tuned.
祝您今晚好眠～ Sweet dream 😴 🌙
後記：20. 絕招揭曉，按這裡
Postnote: Click here for 20. The ultimate solution.
