Awake? Here Is How to Return to Sleep

It is usual for people to wake up a few times during the night. Older people often get up to go to the bathroom. Waking at night usually is not a problem.

But what about some other people? If it happens a few times a week, there may be a troublesome reason. 【小题1】. Such sleep difficulties are called insomnia(失眠).

You may wake up, look at the clock and worry about your work. There may be stressful things on your mind. These feelings may activate a stress hormone(荷尔蒙)in your body. If you worry about not sleeping, it may make it harder to fall asleep.

What to do.

If you are awake 25 minutes or more, get out of bed and do something quiet. 【小题2】. Meditation(冥想)also may work.

You may sit on a couch and read a book or magazine in dim light. Do not read on a smartphone or a tablet in rayless place.

Try to go back to sleep.

【小题3】. Coffee can stay in your digestive system well into the evening.

Napping(打盹)lowers your drive to fall asleep in the evening. Avoid napping late in the day. Nap no later than early afternoon. 【小题4】.

Try to keep to a routine schedule for sleep. There is a problem when you go to bed and wake up at different times. Studies have shown that irregular bedtimes may lead to insomnia. 【小题5】, called circadian rhythms(昼夜节律). They work on 24-hour cycles.

If you get up during the night to go to the bathroom, limit how much water or liquids you drink a few hours before bedtime.

Some people can begin a conversation with anyone ——even complete strangers. 【小题1】. This can be particularly stressful if you have social anxiety disorder (SAD). But even if social small talk is hard for you, possibilities exist to improve your conversational skills and make you feel more comfortable talking with strangers. 【小题2】.

A great way to start a conversation with the people around you is to simply comment on your shared surroundings. 【小题3】. For example, if you are sitting in a lecture hall and notice that your professor looks familiar, you could say to the person next to you, “Doesn’t he look a bit like Harry Potter?”

Keep your comments positive——never mean-spirited or critical. You want the other person to feel comfortable getting in on the joke with you. You could follow up on your previous comment about your professor with something like, “I wonder where Hedwig is?”

【小题4】, which means using this method to start a conversation can be risky. However, if you do find someone who shares your sense of humor, it can be the start of a great friendship.

If you don’t receive a positive response from one person, the method might work with someone else. 【小题5】. With time, you’ll become more confident and won’t need to rely on tricks to get a conversation started and keep it going.

By keeping your daily habits healthy, you can add years to your life. 【小题1】

Keep daily habits healthy. Many of us are set in our daily habits. We eat the same meal, wear the same clothes, take the same route to work and work the same old job. 【小题2】 It is very important for us to keep our daily habits healthy. By making just a few small changes and sticking to them, we can add a few years to our life.

Take some exercise every day. Daily exercise does improve our health. In fact, studies show that daily exercise can add three years to our life. 【小题3】 Whenever we can, walk to work. If we live or work in a tall building, just take the stairs. It’s really that simple.

Eat a healthy breakfast. Researchers have found that those who eat an early morning meal are less likely to be too fat and get diseases compared with those who don’t. Breakfast-eaters also report feeling better both mentally and physically. 【小题4】

Have enough sleep. A lack of quality sleep can shorten our life. Failing to get at least seven hours of sleep appears to increase the risk of major illnesses including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many more.

【小题5】 There’s an old saying that says a good friend is cheaper than treatment. Any social communication can positively affect our physical and mental well-being because we can have more time and chances to communicate with others. All of these can add years to our lives.