Most people do not realize that dreams take up about 25% of the night’s sleep, and each dream period lasts from five to 20 minutes. These is no doubt that dreams play an important role in our lives. If they can be correctly 【小题1】 — and that is a big “if” — we can come to understand ourselves better. Here, we look at three common dreams and what they 【小题2】 symbolize.

Dream 1: I can see their laughing faces. laughing at me. But they aren’t as smart. If they were, they’d be up here flying with me!

This dream has both positive and negative 【小题3】 . On the positive side, the dream may express a strong desire to travel and get away from everyday routine. It may also symbolize a powerful desire to achieve. On the other hand, this dream can mean the person has a problem or is afraid of something and they wish to escape. The dream could represent a(n) 【小题4】 complex, which the dreamer attempts to escape from by literally and 【小题5】 putting themselves up above others.

Dream 2: I’m moving fast now, but it’s still behind me. Doesn’t matter how fast I go, I still can’t escape.

Although this is a traditional symbol of health and 【小题6】 like the first one, it too can suggest the dreamer is trying to escape from danger. Usually, fear is the 【小题7】 emotion. By running hard, the dreamer can possibly escape the threat. However, they can also stop moving. This makes the fear even more terrifying. One possible interpretation suggests that the person is under pressure in their everyday life.

Dream 3: I’m sweating and my heart is beating. I’m trapped, trapped in my own bed.

This symbol is 【小题8】 with fear and embarrassment: suddenly the dreamer loses all power of movement. They try hard to move their arms and legs, but they simply cannot. Frozen in a terrifying situation with no escape, they become more and more terrified as the 【小题9】 go by. Another 【小题10】 context for this dream is failing to do something in public, often something that you are normally very good at, such as your job. Not only is this extremely embarrassing, but it also shows a deep-seated fear of losing a job and a livelihood.

Many of us are lacing up our sneakers and starting (or restarting) exercise regimens (练身计划) in hopes of shedding unwanted pounds. Unquestionably, aiming to be more active is good. But if the main reason is to lose weight, your New Year’s resolution could very well 【小题1】.

For starters, exercise — at least the kind most of us do — is 【小题2】 ineffective for weight loss. Take walking, for example. A 150-pound person who walks briskly for 30 minutes will burn, on average, around 140 calories. That’s equal to one can of soda — not exactly a great return on your investment of time and effort. It’s much easier just to skip the soda.

Studies 【小题3】 show that doing moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week — the amount recommended for good health — typically produces little or no weight loss by itself.

When moderate exercise is added to diet, the results are equally not 【小题4】. Pooling data from six trials, researchers found that a combination of diet and exercise generated no greater weight loss than diet alone after six months.

In studies where exercise has produced 【小题5】 weight loss, participants burned at least 400 to 500 calories per session on five or more days a week. To achieve that, sessions need to go well beyond what most of us are willing or able to do. And even if we manage to exert that much effort, our bodies often 【小题6】 by boosting appetite and dialing down metabolism, effects that over time limit how many pounds we shed.

Perhaps the biggest problem with exercising to drop pounds is that it turns physical activity into 【小题7】. How many times have you heard someone say (or said yourself) “I’ll need to do extra exercise” after eating too much during the holidays or at a celebratory dinner?

The point is that we’re more likely to 【小题8】 exercise positively and actually do it when we focus on our well-being rather than our weight. The incentive may be an improved mood or less stress. Others may find that exercise makes them feel physically and mentally stronger.

Of course, the benefits of physical activity 【小题9】 well beyond these. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of multiple diseases. It can also improve sleep and boost energy.

By all means, striving to exercise regularly in the new year is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your health. But to improve the odds of success, focus on how movement helps you feel better physically and emotionally — and forget about how it moves the 【小题10】 on the scale.