Sleep problems are a common feature of our modern lifestyles. However, according to Chinese medicine, a good night’s sleep is all about timing, and it is important to pay attention to how you feel directly after waking up. If you feel full of beans without any drowsiness, this shows that you have had sufficient rest and have slept well.
How many hours’ sleep should you be getting each night? According to Wang Sung, attending physician at Asia University Hospital’s Department of Chinese Medicine, there is no magic number. However, as a general principle, between six to eight hours is sufficient. Wang adds that rather than focusing on the number of hours per night, it is more important to ensure that you are asleep between 11pm and 3am. This time window is the optimum time for sleep because the body enters a deep restive state, which allows it to repair itself and recover from the day’s exertions, Wang says.
If you are someone who often still feels tired after waking up in the morning, constantly feel that you haven’t had enough sleep or have suffered disruptive sleep for over one month, Wang recommends seeing a doctor for a check-up and treatment.
照片：自由時報記者廖雪茹 Photo: Liao Hsueh-ju, Liberty Times
Many people who lead busy or stressful lives suffer from sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep and as a result take a midday nap, or catch up on sleep at the weekend. Wang stresses that a midday nap should be limited to no more than half an hour, otherwise you may find it difficult to get to sleep or sleep fitfully.
Wang also says that, according to Chinese medicine, people should eat meals of equal size at regularly-spaced intervals throughout the day. Immoderate consumption of food and drink coupled with excessive sleep, such as having a big sleep-in at the weekend, is similar to overeating: it will disrupt your biological clock and cause your internal organs to malfunction. Wang likens this to a business that keeps changing its operating hours and internal regulations: its employees will be left at sixes and sevens. This is why using the weekend to catch up on your sleep will not only still leave you feeling fatigued, but as with an extended midday nap, it will put back the time you go to bed at night.
Wang suggests four ways to improve the quality of your sleep:
1. Maintain a good sleeping environment: Your bedroom should be dark without any bright light, the temperature should be neither too hot, nor too cold, and your mattress should be comfortable.
2. Engage in gentle activity before sleep and avoid doing anything that could excite your emotions. Some people over-stimulate themselves before sleeping by watching exciting films or TV programs. You should also avoid using electronic products, such as smartphones, tablets and computers, before sleep because the blue light emitted from screens has been proven to disrupt sleep.
3. Avoid using stimulants such as tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea or any medicines that could affect your sleep.
4. Regular exercise will help you to fall asleep more easily. However, you should avoid exercising too close to bedtime: the post-exercise high will over-stimulate your body and may prevent you from falling asleep.
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times)
面對現代人睡眠問題多，中醫師認為，只要睡的時間對，睡醒後感覺精神飽滿，不會嗜睡，就表示有充分休息，睡好覺！
亞洲大學附屬醫院中醫科主治醫師王崧認為，睡眠時間長短並沒有一個定見，以六到八小時為原則即可，重要的是，在晚上11點到凌晨3點是最適合睡覺的時間，在這段時間有一個深度睡眠，讓身體休養生息。
王崧提醒，如果常常睡醒後，仍覺得疲倦、睡不飽等睡眠困擾超過一個月，可以就醫接受檢查與治療。
許多人平常工作忙碌或壓力大，出現睡眠不足、睡不好等情形，而會利用中午休息時間或週末假日補眠，但王崧強調，午睡時間應控制在半小時以內，不可太長，免得晚上不好睡，讓睡眠品質更差。
他也強調，中醫講求生活規律，吃飯要定時定量，不可以暴飲暴食，「假日補眠」如同「睡眠暴食」，會打亂生理時鐘，讓臟腑運作不規律，就像一家公司如果天天都在改變工作時間和規則，員工會無所適從一樣，所以假日補眠沒辦法有效消除疲累感，反而會像午睡時間太長的問題一樣，造成睡眠延遲。
如何睡好覺？王崧建議有4個方法：
1．良好的睡眠場所：房間要暗，不能太亮，室溫不要太熱或太冷，以及床墊要舒適。
2．睡前活動要溫和，避免情緒激動：有些人睡前會看較刺激的影片或節目，結果情緒太過亢奮，也應避免3C產品，因為藍光會影響睡眠是已經確定的。
3．避免使用刺激性物質：抽菸、喝酒、咖啡、茶飲及部分藥物都可能會影響睡眠。
4．運動：培養良好的運動習慣會比較好入睡，但運動時間若離睡眠時間太近，小心會過度興奮，睡不著。
(自由時報記者羅碧)
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