Sleep difficulties are a common problem for millions of adults. Even if you can get to sleep, you might have trouble staying asleep. Does this sound familiar? You drift off to dreamland, but find yourself wide awake at 3 a.m., or maybe you wake up every few hours throughout the night. Adequate sleep is supposed to leave you feeling refreshed and ready to start your day. But if your sleep is interrupted, you’re likely to feel fatigued and sleepy the next day. So what gives? There are several factors that may interfere with getting your zzz’s including the following:

睡眠困难是数百万成年人的普遍问题。即使你能入睡，你也可能难以保持睡眠。这听起来熟悉吗?你渐渐进入梦乡，却发现自己凌晨3点就完全醒了。或者你可能整晚每隔几个小时就醒来一次。充足的睡眠会让你感觉神清气爽，为新的一天做好准备。但是如果你的睡眠被打断，你可能会在第二天感到疲劳和困倦。那么到底是为什么呢?有几个因素可能会影响你的睡眠，包括以下几点:

1. Too much caffeine:

1. 过量的咖啡因:

You probably already know caffeine is a stimulant and can affect your ability to fall asleep. But it can also lead to poor quality sleep including waking up in the middle of the night. Caffeine has a three to five-hour half-life, which means it takes your body that many hours to get rid of half the caffeine you consumed. The bottom line is you may feel the effects of caffeine several hours after you consume it. Keep in mind, energy drinks, cola, chocolate and certain teas also contain caffeine. Your best bet is to avoid caffeine about six hours before bed.

你可能已经知道咖啡因是一种兴奋剂，会影响你入睡的能力。但它也会导致睡眠质量差，包括半夜醒来。咖啡因有三到五个小时的半衰期，这意味着你的身体需要那么多小时才能消耗掉一半的咖啡因。最重要的是，你可能在摄入咖啡因几小时后就会感觉到它的效果。记住，能量饮料、可乐、巧克力和某些茶也含有咖啡因。你最好在睡前6小时内避免摄入咖啡因。

2. Stress:

2. 压力:

Stress and lack of sleep seem to go hand in hand. If you’re stressed, it can be hard to sleep well and may lead to middle of the night insomnia. When you don’t get enough sleep, that can also lead to more stress and it becomes a vicious cycle. According to the American Psychological Association, adults who get less than eight hours of sleep each night report higher levels of stress symptoms than those who sleep longer. Although it can be easier said than done, it’s important to unwind and unplug before bed.

压力和睡眠不足似乎是相伴而生的。如果你有压力，就很难睡好觉，可能会导致半夜失眠。当你没有足够的睡眠，这也会导致更多的压力，并成为一个恶性循环。据美国心理协会(American Psychological Association)称，每晚睡眠不足8小时的成年人比睡眠时间较长的人更容易出现压力症状。虽然说起来容易做起来难，但睡前放松和拔掉插头是很重要的。

3. Sleep environment:

3.睡眠环境:

Your sleep environment can contribute to poor sleep. For example, loud noises can jolt you from a sound sleep or light peeking through the shades can wake you. Fortunately, there are ways to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly. Invest in a quality mattress and comfy bedding and consider keeping your bedroom cool, which most people find helps sleep. Make sure your curtains are heavy enough to block out sunlight and use a white noise machine or earplugs to block sounds from outside.

你的睡眠环境会导致睡眠质量下降。例如，巨大的噪音会把你从酣睡中惊醒，或者透过阴影窥视的光线会把你吵醒。幸运的是，有一些方法可以让你的卧室更适合睡眠。购买优质床垫和舒适的床上用品，考虑保持卧室凉爽，大多数人认为这有助于睡眠。确保你的窗帘足够厚，可以阻挡阳光，使用白噪音机或耳塞来阻挡外面的声音。

4. An aching back:

4. 背痛:

Back pain can disrupt sleep and leave you struggling to find a comfortable position. If you have chronic back pain, it’s important to treat the underlying cause. Also, your sleep position can make a big difference in your comfort level. The right position for you may depend on whether your upper or lower back ache. To take the pressure off your back, the Mayo Clinic recommends sleeping on your side with your knees slightly pulled up towards your chest with a pillow between your knees.

背痛会影响睡眠，让你很难找到一个舒服的姿势。如果你有慢性背痛，重要的是要治疗潜在的原因。此外，你的睡姿也会对你的舒适度产生很大影响。适合你的位置可能取决于你的上背部还是下背部疼痛。为了减轻背部的压力，医生建议侧卧睡姿，膝盖向胸部微微上拉，膝盖之间放一个枕头。

5. Hormones:

5. 激素:

Your hormones play a role in several functions including sleep. When there is an imbalance or a fluctuation, shifting hormones can contribute to sleep disturbances. A woman’s menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause often cause hormonal changes that may affect their quality of sleep. For example, decreased estrogen can lead to hot flashes, which wake you up at 2 a.m. You can’t always control your hormones, but you can make your environment conducive for sleep, unwind before bed and stick to the same sleep schedule. If those strategies don’t help, talk with your doctor. Hormonal replacement therapy or additional treatment may be an option.

你的荷尔蒙在包括睡眠在内的多种功能中发挥作用。当出现不平衡或波动时，荷尔蒙的变化会导致睡眠紊乱。女性的月经周期、怀孕、围绝经期和更年期通常会引起激素变化，从而影响她们的睡眠质量。例如，雌激素降低会导致潮热，在凌晨2点把你叫醒。你不能总是控制你的荷尔蒙，但你可以让你的环境有利于睡眠，睡前放松，并坚持相同的睡眠时间表。如果这些方法都不管用，和你的医生谈谈。激素替代疗法或其他治疗可能是一个选择。

6. Alcohol:

6. 酒精:

If you enjoy a cocktail before bedtime, you know alcohol may help you get to sleep. But the bad news is it actually can interfere with your quality of sleep. As the alcohol metabolizes and the effects wear off, it prevents deep sleep, which causes restless sleep throughout the night. Consider limiting alcohol a few hours before you hit the sack.

如果你喜欢睡前喝一杯鸡尾酒，你知道酒精可能会帮助你入睡。但坏消息是，它实际上会影响你的睡眠质量。随着酒精的代谢和作用逐渐消失，它会阻止深度睡眠，而深度睡眠会导致整晚无法入睡。考虑在睡前几小时限制饮酒。

7. Eating too late:

7. 吃太晚了:

A light midnight snack may be fine, but a heavy meal too close to bedtime may leave you tossing and turning during the night. Eating large portions before you turn in for the night can lead to indigestion and acid reflux. If you want a snack before bed, keep it light and stay away from spicy and greasy foods.

睡前吃点小点心也许不错，但睡前吃顿大餐可能会让你在夜里辗转反侧。睡前吃太多会导致消化不良和胃酸倒流。如果你想在睡前吃点零食，那就少吃点，远离辛辣油腻的食物。