【推荐1】Do you have frightening dreams while sleeping? According to an email interview by clinical psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, roughly 5 percent of the general population has at least one bad dream per week. Nightmares typically happen during REM sleep, during the middle and later parts of the night.

There is no exact explanation for nightmares, but Breus says it’s possible that they help the brain practise, prepare for and even predict difficult or dangerous experiences in waking life. Of course, it’s possible that nightmares, like dreams in general, don’t have a primary function — that they’re a by-product of other activities in the body. But most sleep scientists think that dreams and nightmares exist for some purposes.

One study found the most common nightmare was falling, followed by dreams of being chased, feeling lost, and feeling trapped. Then why do nightmares happen?

“Certain circumstances and characteristics make some people more likely to have nightmares than others,” says sleep medicine specialist Dr. Barry Krakow. He thinks people who’ve been traumatized (使受精神创伤) are certainly at a higher risk of nightmares Examples are offered of those who have suffered criminal attacks, or who have been in life-threatening accidents. People with some degree of sensitivity in their biological make-up are also more likely to have bad dreams, so they’re more common in people who suffer from anxiety or depression, or who use excess drugs or alcohol. The traditional belief often has it that nightmares are the result of eating too much rich food before bedtime, but it is still uncertain whether this is true. One study from 2015 did find a link between eating dairy or hot foods before bedtime and having disturbing dreams, but the study authors noted that this couldn’t be proven definitely because the data was self-reported and there were a lot of other factors to consider.

However, research in recent decades has shown that people who suffer from sleep disorders are also more likely to have nightmares.

【推荐1】How much physical activity do you do in a week? Are you getting enough exercise? Adults who do exercise for just 150 minutes a week can reduce their risk of serious illness by 50%. Regular exercise reduces the risk of early death by 30%.     1     Today, we are much less active than in the past. In fact many adults spend seven hours or more on a chair each day.   

    2     It means that we need to do something extra to burn more calories and use up all our energy. Adults need to do two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week. In addition, you should do exercise to strengthen muscles twice a week.

    3     Team sports such as football, rugby or cricket can be cheap because all the players share the cost of the pitch. Joining a sports club is usually a cheap way of getting exercise and can be very sociable, too.   

Alternatively, if you don't want to spend any money at all, go for a run. The only equipment needed for this is a pair of trainers     4     Go to the park. Try getting a group of friends or family together and have a game of football there.

Although adults should do two and a half hours of exercise a week, you don't have to do it all at one time.     5     If you do ten minutes before work ten minutes during your lunch break and ten minutes after work, five days a week, you've achieved the target! There are many ways of getting fit and we should all recognize the value of doing this, because we will live longer and be more healthy.

【推荐2】Enjoying your workouts can be a complete game changer when it comes to keeping a consistent exercise schedule and avoiding burnout.     1    

The Heart Matters magazine gives a few recommendations on how to make exercise more fun, such as asking others to join you and exercising for a specific cause, like a marathon for raising funds for an organization.     2    . But why?

Research shows that enjoying your exercise can be important for its long-term effectiveness. When you are positively engaged in something you choose to do and want to do as opposed to something you have to do, it changes your mindset. A positive mindset during exercising is absolutely essential.

    3    . You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it. Most people would rather make a habit of something that brings them pleasure as opposed to something boring. So, what do you find enjoyable? What is fun for you?

There are so many types of exercise that people can do.     4    . Running is an excellent form of exercise, as is walking. Dance classes can be super fun as well, and so can sports. Playing sports is a form of exercise that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Thinking outside the box is a must, since gyms and workouts that require lots of equipment aren’t always available or possible, and depending on these to exercise can possibly leave you without a workout at times. Team sports like basketball, tennis or football with friends are great for your fitness.     5    , or choosing other types of exercise like rope jumping, surfing, rock climbing or belly dancing. Those are all excellent forms of exercise, and your mind and body will thank you for years to come.

【推荐3】Long after the coronavirus pandemic is declared over, another health plight(困境) could take its place: a mental health crisis, experts have warned. But according to a new study, practicing yoga may help to reduce the blues, at least somewhat.

Researchers with the University of South Australia, in a partnership with the Federal University of Santa Maria, UNSW Sydney, Kings College London, and Western Sydney University, conducted what is said to be the first “world study” on the mental health benefits of practicing yoga.

In a meta-analysis of 180 studies across six countries that involved some 1,080 participants-all of whom had a “formal diagnosis of a mental disorder, including depression and anxiety,” according to news release on the findings-researchers found that the participants’ mental health improved with “movement-based yoga,” with the benefits “being incremental(递增的) with the amount of yoga they practiced,” they said.

Movement-based yoga was defined by the researchers as “any form of yoga where participants are physically active at least 50 percent of the time, that is, forms of yoga that emphasize holding poses and flowing through series of poses,” according to the news release.

“As self-isolation continues and people find themselves working from home and unable to physically catch up with their friends and family, we’re likely to see more people feel lonely and disconnected,” said lead researcher and University of South Australia Ph.D. candidate Jacinta Brinsley, in a statement. “Exercise has always been a great strategy for people struggling with these feelings as it boosts both mood and health. But as gyms and exercise classes of all kinds are now closed — even jogging with a friend is strongly discouraged — people are looking for options, and this is where yoga can help.”

Our research shows that movement-based yoga improved symptoms of depression(or improved mental health) for people living with a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic(创伤后) stress and major depression. “So, it’s very good news for people struggling in times of uncertainty,” Brinsley added.