While most of us constantly feel tired, whether hangover related or just down to working too damn hard, you might not need as much sleep as you might think.
我们大部分人常常觉得疲劳，与宿醉有关或只是因为我们工作太过努力，也许你需要的睡眠时长和你想的不一样。
That’s because often it’s the quality of your sleep rather than the hours you spend tucked up under the duvet.
因为这常常由你的睡眠质量所决定而非你在床上蜷在被子里的时长。
How much sleep do you actually need?
你究竟需要多少睡眠时间？
Newborns （0-3 months ）: Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day （previously it was 12-18）
新生儿（0-3个月）：睡眠时间范围缩短为每天14-17个小时（先前为12-18个小时）
Infants （4-11 months）: Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours （previously it was 14-15）
婴儿（4-11个月）：睡眠时间范围扩大了两个小时至12-15个小时（先前为14-15个小时）
Toddlers （1-2 years）: Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours （previously it was 12-14）
学步儿童（1-2岁）：睡眠时间范围扩大了一个小时至11-14个小时（先前为12-14小时
Preschoolers （3-5）: Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours （previously it was 11-13）
学龄前儿童（3-5岁）：睡眠时间范围扩大了一个小时至10-13个小时（先前为11-13个小时）
School age children （6-13）: Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours （previously it was 10-11）
学龄儿童（6-13岁）：睡眠时间范围扩大了一个小时至9-11个小时（先前为10-11个小时）
Teenagers （14-17）: Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours （previously it was 8.5-9.5）
青少年（14-17岁）：睡眠时间范围扩大了一个小时至8-10小时（先前为8.5-9.5个小时）
Younger adults （18-25）: Sleep range is 7-9 hours （new age category）
青年（18-25岁）：睡眠范围是7-9个小时（这是个新的年龄分组）
Adults （26-64）: Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
成年人（26-64）：睡眠范围不改变，仍是7-9个小时
Older adults （65+）: Sleep range is 7-8 hours （new age category）
老年人（65岁以上）：睡眠范围是7-8个小时（这也是个新的年龄分组）
The National Sleep Foundation suggests that the amount of sleep you need very much depends on your age.
美国国家睡眠基金会称，你的睡眠时间长短很大部分取决于你的年龄。
Most young adults only need between seven and nine hours a night, but can get away with sleeping just six hours.
很多青年人一晚只需要7至9小时的睡眠时间，但他们也可以只睡6小时。
Teenager meanwhile need at least seven hours in bed, but can happily sleep for 11. School children are recommended to have between nine and 11 hours.
青少年每天需要至少7小时的睡眠时间，但睡11个小时也可以很开心。学龄儿童建议最好需要9至11个小时的睡眠时长。
Older adults need five or six hours between the sheets but it is recommended they have between seven and eight.
老年人需要5至6小时的睡眠时间，但更建议他们的睡眠时间延长至7-8个小时。
Babies need a lot more sleep of course, lying in their cots for up to 19 hours a day.
当然婴儿们需要很多的睡眠时间，他们在睡梦中的时间可达到一天19个小时。
Your sleep health is important
你的睡眠健康很重要
It’s all about getting quality sleep rather than just the hours in bed.
拥有好的睡眠质量比睡眠时长更重要。
Stimulants like coffee, tea and energy drinks don’t help as they can interfere with people’s ‘circadian rhythm’, which is your natural sleep cycle.
咖啡、茶和功能饮料这类刺激饮品对睡眠质量并无帮助，因为他们会扰乱你的“生理节律”，也就是你的自然睡眠周期。
The same is true for alarm clocks and poor lighting.
闹钟与不良照明也一样会影响你的睡眠。
If you don’t get enough sleep each night, your body will begin to develop ‘sleep debt’ and you’ll feel exhausted, which can have an affect on your overall well-being and health.
如果你每天没有足够的睡眠，你的身体就会开始产生“睡眠债”，你也会感觉到筋疲力尽。这会影响你的整体幸福感和健康。
Why do we need sleep?
为什么我们需要睡觉？
When we are awake, a chemical called adenosine builds up in the bloodstream.
当我们清醒时，血液循环中会产生一种叫做腺苷的化学物质。
It is only when we are asleep that the body is able to break this chemical down and if you don’t get enough sleep your body won’t have enough time to break down the chemical.
只有当你处于睡眠状态时，身体才能够分解这种化学物质，但如果你的睡眠不充足，你的身体就不能有足够的时间来分解它。
The result is a slow down in your reactions, feeling generally tired and wanting to have a nap.
这就会导致你的反应变慢、感到疲倦、想要睡一觉。
How to improve your sleep
如何提高你的睡眠质量
For those who aren’t getting enough hours in bed, it is all about setting a sleep schedule and sticking to it.
对于那些睡眠不足的人来说，他们需要建立一个睡眠时间表，并且坚持下去。
Sometimes that means heading to bed 15 minutes earlier, while other times it might mean adjusting electronics so they aren’t waking you up in the middle of the night.
有时可能是提前15分钟躺上床，而其他一些时候可能是调整你的闹钟，别让它在半夜叫醒你。
If you are struggling to sleep, there are several factors that could be causing this – including poor diet, poor sleeping arrangements and even the temperature of your bedroom.
如果你难以入睡，这可能是由于这些原因所导致：饮食欠佳、睡眠安排不合适，甚至卧室的温度也会影响你的睡眠。
Ditch the alcohol and caffeine, and make sure you exercise daily.
丢掉酒精和咖啡因，确保自己每天都运动。
