A lot of focus has been directed at the importance of getting around eight hours of sufficient sleep per night for the average person, though young children need more and the elderly generally require less. Another aspect—one that receives less attention from the public—is the quality of one’s sleep and the impact that it has on physical health. A recent study by researchers at the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University in the United States has cast some light on this issue.
The sleep experts at Northwestern University conducted experiments involving two groups of young adults, hooking them up to heart monitors to see how varying levels of light in a room at night affected their physiological states. The results suggested that the intensity of light present in one’s bedroom has detrimental implications for cardiovascular and metabolic health.
In the study, one group of subjects slept in a room that was lit only by dull light for two nights. The other 10 individuals slept one night under the same type of light and the second night in a room with a brighter light placed overhead. In addition to monitoring their hearts, researchers recorded the sleepers’ brainwaves and drew their blood. The group that had slept under a brighter light on the second night showed elevated heart rates during that time. Their bodies also showed increased insulin resistance, meaning they had trouble regulating their blood sugar levels.
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The study suggests that the presence of light in a room while one is sleeping may have an adverse influence on health. Therefore, to ensure a good night’s sleep, you can start by creating a bedroom that guards against unwanted light at night.
許多關注都導向一般人每晚要獲取約八小時充足睡眠的重要性，儘管幼童需要的睡眠更多，長輩則通常需要較少睡眠。另一個面向──大眾不太注重的方面──是睡眠品質及其對身體健康的影響。美國西北大學晝夜節律暨睡眠醫學中心的研究人員最近的一項研究，讓人們對這個議題有所了解。
西北大學的睡眠專家進行了有兩組年輕人參與的實驗，專家將心臟監測儀接到他們身上，以了解夜間房內不同亮度的光線如何影響他們的生理狀態。結果顯示，臥室的強光會對心血管和新陳代謝的健康產生有害的影響。
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在這項研究中，一組受試者在一間只有昏暗光線的房裡睡了兩晚。其餘十人在同樣的燈光下睡了一晚，第二晚則在一間頭頂上方擺設著較亮燈具的房裡睡覺。除了監測他們的心臟外，研究人員還記錄了睡眠者的腦波和抽血。第二晚在較亮燈光下睡覺的那組人在那段期間心率偏高。他們的身體也顯現了胰島素阻抗增加的現象，這意味著他們難以調節血糖。
該項研究顯示睡覺時，房裡有光線可能會對健康產生負面影響。因此，為了確保一夜好眠，你可以從打造一間防堵夜間非必要光線的臥室開始。
What Did You Learn?
1. What do the results of the research from Northwestern University indicate?
(A) Leaving a soft light on in a room can promote sleep.
(B) Sleeping in a completely dark room can affect one’s mental health.
(C) Illumination in a room at night can disturb blood sugar regulation.
(D) Exposure to artificial light at night can cause people to have nightmares.
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “detrimental” in the second paragraph?
(A) False. (B) Harmful. (C) Contagious. (D) Psychological.
答案：
1. (C) 2. (B)
Words in Use
1. aspect n. 方面
Dealing with people is an important aspect of a customer service job.
跟人打交道是客服工作很重要的一環。
2. sufficient a. 足夠的
This small sandwich is not sufficient to satisfy my hunger.
這份小的三明治不足以讓我填飽飢餓。
3. impact n. 影響（常與介詞on連用，後接受影響對象）
The closure of several factories in the town had a negative impact on the local economy.
鎮上好幾間工廠關閉，使當地經濟受到負面影響。
4. conduct vt. 進行，實施
The detective is conducting an investigation to identify the murder victim.
那名警探正在進行調查以查明凶殺案受害者的身分。
5. monitor n. 監測器 & vt. 監測，監控
The police used a noise monitor to make sure cars and motorcycles did not make excessive noise.
警方用噪音監測器來確保汽機車沒有製造過大的噪音。
Researchers monitored the subjects to see if the new drug kicked in.
研究人員監測受試者看新藥有沒有起作用。
Practical Phrases
1. be directed at. . . (注意力、情緒等)指向…
Criticism has been directed at the president, who didn’t respond to the crisis immediately.
批評指向總統，他沒立即對那場危機做出應對。
2. hook sb up to. . . 在某人身上接上…(儀器等)
Doctors hooked the severely injured patient up to a life-support machine.
醫生將生命維持設備接在那名重傷患者身上。
3. guard against. . . 防止…
Wash your hands regularly to guard against germs.
經常洗手以防止細菌。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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