8 Scientifically Proven Tips for Relaxing 8 個科學解壓的小妙招

感到壓力很大？你并不是一個人。幸運的是，科學可以為你提供幫助。以下8種經過驗證的方法可以幫助你放松身心。

Chew gum.

嚼口香糖。

Strange as it may seem， chewing gum—not to mention the fun of popping bubbles—has been shown to improve mood as well as lower cortisol levels which associate with emotional control.

這似乎很奇怪，但是嚼口香糖（更不用說吹爆泡泡的樂趣了）已被證明可以改善情緒并降低與情緒控制有關的皮質醇水平。

Listen to classical music.

聽古典音樂。

Music can brighten up your day， but it turns out theres also a physiological impact to listening to music： One study found that listening to classical music lowered participants blood pressure， slowed their heart rates， and reduced levels of stress hormones.

雖說音樂可以照亮你的生活，但事實證明，聽音樂對我們也有生理影響：一項研究發現，聽古典音樂降低了受試者的血壓、減緩了他們的心率，并且降低了他們的壓力荷爾蒙水平。

Surround yourself with plants.

周圍擺上植物。

Immersing yourself in nature can make you feel happier， and even just a little exposure can help you relax. One study at Washington State University found that entering a room with plants can lower your blood pressure and increase your productivity. Plus， plants increase oxygen， helping you breathe easier.

沉浸在大自然中能讓你感覺更快樂，即便只是一點點接觸也可以幫助你放松。華盛頓州立大學的一項研究發現，進入有植物的房間可以降低血壓并提高工作效率。此外，植物會制造氧氣，有助你更輕松地呼吸。

Reduce your screen time， especially before bedtime.

減少看屏幕的時間，特別是在睡前。

Spend the majority of your day sitting in front of a screen only to go home and stare at another screen （or two）？ That artificial light can mess with your melatonin production and alter your circadian rhythms， which can impact your sleep. Young adults in particular are likely to be affected. Studies have shown that teenagers who use their phones late at night are more likely to be depressed.

一天的大部分時間坐在屏幕前，回到家還得盯著另一個（或兩個）屏幕看？這種人造光可能會干擾你的褪黑激素生成，改變你的晝夜節律，進而影響你的睡眠。其中年輕人特別容易受到影響。研究表明，深夜使用手機的青少年更容易感到抑郁。

Drink some tea.

喝點茶。

Scientists at the City University of London found that a single cup of tea reduces stress rates by as much as 25 percent. And certain types of herbal tea， like green tea， contain L-theanine， which has been shown to reduce stress.

倫敦城市大學的科學家們發現，一杯茶可以將壓力等級降低25%。此外，某些類型的花草茶（如綠茶）中含有L-茶氨酸，該物質被證明有助于減輕壓力。

Put your head in a paper bag.

把頭放進紙袋里。

Its become a bit of a joke， but it turns out breathing into a paper bag will actually make you calmer. Research suggests that since when people feel anxious they often breathe too quickly， their bodies build up an overflow of oxygen. Breathing into a bag for half a dozen breaths increases the amount of carbon dioxide in your body and helps you feel better.

雖然聽上去像個笑話，但事實證明，在紙袋內呼吸會使你更加鎮靜。研究表明，當人們感到焦慮時，他們通常會呼吸太快，導致體內積聚過多氧氣。在紙袋內呼吸六次可以增加體內二氧化碳的含量，讓你感覺好點。

Grab some chocolate or try citrus.

吃點巧克力或試試柑橘類水果。

Its not your imagination： You do feel better after eating chocolate. Even eating just 40 grams lowers your amount of stress hormones.

If chocolate isnt your thing， try citrus. Scientists have found that vitamin C helps regulate cortisol and prevent blood pressure from spiking.

這并不是錯覺：吃完巧克力之后，你會感覺自己好點了。即使只吃40克巧克力，也會降低你的壓力荷爾蒙水平。

如果你不喜歡吃巧克力，那就試試柑橘類水果。科學家們發現，維生素C有助于調節皮質醇，預防血壓升高。

Have a laugh.

哈哈大笑。

Watching funny videos—and laughing—physically helps you relax by releasing endorphins， the brain chemicals known for their happy fuzzy effect.

觀看有趣的視頻并哈哈大笑可促使身體釋放內啡肽以令你放松，這是一種以制造快樂而著稱的大腦化學物質。

Word Study

associate /?'s???ie?t/ v. 聯系;聯想

Through science weve got the idea of associating progress with the future.

exposure /?k'sp????（r）/ n. 暴露;顯露

Exposure to lead is known to damage the brains of young children.

impact /'?mp?kt/ n. 巨大的影響;強大的作用

v. （對某事）有影響;有作用

Her speech made a profound impact on everyone.

Her fathers death impacted greatly on her childhood years.