200810 the science of a good night's sleep

1. It's 4 a.m., and the big test is in eight hours, followed by a piano recital. You've been studying and playing for days, but you still don't feel ready for either. 2. So, what can you do? Well, you can drink another cup of coffee and spend the next few hours cramming and practicing, but believe it or not, you might be better off closing the books, putting away the music, and going to sleep. 3. Sleep occupies nearly a third of our lives, but many of us give surprisingly little attention and care to it. This neglect is often the result of a major misunderstanding. Sleep isn't lost time or just a way to rest when all our important work is done. 4. Instead, it's a critical function, during which your body balances and regulates its vital systems, effecting respiration and regulating everything from circulation to growth and immune response. 凌晨4点了。八小时后有场重要的考试，之后还有场钢琴独奏会。你已经学习和练习好几天了，但是你仍然觉得没有准备好。 那么，你能做什么呢？嗯，你可以再喝一杯咖啡，然后花几个小时来复习和练习，但信不信由你，你最好还是合上书，放下音乐，去睡觉。 睡眠占据了我们生命的近三分之一，但令人惊讶的是，我们中的许多人对它很少关注和关心。这种忽视往往是处于一个很大的误区。睡眠并不是浪费时间，也不是重要工作完成后的休息方式。 相反，它是一种至关重要的功能，在此期间，你的身体平衡和调节它的重要系统，细胞呼吸，管理从循环到生长和免疫反应的一切。