为何有些人可以在任何情况下睡着
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2010-08-11 03:11 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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Ever wonder why some people can sleep through just about anything, while others get startled awake at each and every bump in the night? A new report in the August 10th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, offers some insight: sound sleepers1 show a distinct pattern of spontaneous(自发的,自然的) brain rhythms. "We found that by measuring brain waves during sleep, we could learn a lot about how well a person's brain can block the negative effects of sounds; the more sleep spindles(变细长) your brain produces, the more likely you'll stay asleep, even when confronted with noise," said Jeffrey Ellenbogen of Harvard Medical School.

During sleep, brain waves become slow and organized, Ellenbogen explained. Sleep spindles refer to brief bursts of faster-frequency waves. Those bursts of activity are generated by a portion of the brain called the thalamus(丘脑) , which serves as a way station for most types of sensory2 information (everything except smell).

"The thalamus is likely preventing sensory information from getting to areas of the brain that perceive and react to sound," Ellenbogen said. "And our data provide evidence that the sleep spindle is a marker of this blockade. More spindles means more stable sleep, even when confronted with noise."

Ellenbogen said he and his colleagues were surprised at the magnitude of the sleep spindle effect. They observed brain patterns of study participants as they slept in the lab for three nights. The first night was quiet and the second and third nights were noisy, as the researchers introduced a variety of sounds—a telephone ringing, people talking, hospital-based mechanical sounds, and so on. "The effect of sleep spindles was so pronounced(显著的,断然的) that we could see it even after just a single night," he said.

The researchers say they hope to devise ways to enhance sleep spindles via behavioral techniques, drugs, or devices, but it's not yet clear how to do that.

Ellenbogen said such advances would be particularly welcome today, as "our sleeping environments have gotten increasingly complex and problematic, with all the beeps and boops of our 24/7 modern, crowded lives. And there are particular challenges in a hospital setting where some of the sounds are necessary (e.g., heart monitors need to send an alarm if there's a problem). Our goal is to find brain-based solutions that integrate a sleeping person into their modern environment, such that sleep is maintained even in the face of(面对) noises. This finding gets us one important step closer to realizing that goal."

Ellenbogen ultimately envisions a future in which we'll have access to multiple strategies, based on sound sleep science and technologies, to help keep us asleep when we want to sleep and awaken3 us when it's time to get up. "In the meantime," he said, "it still doesn't hurt to put up a sign that says 'Shhh!'"

Another piece of advice for those who really must go to sleep with the radio or TV on: use a timer. The researchers' evidence shows that such noises do disrupt sleep, whether the sleeping person realizes it or not.



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1 sleepers 1d076aa8d5bfd0daecb3ca5f5c17a425     
n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环
参考例句:
  • He trod quietly so as not to disturb the sleepers. 他轻移脚步,以免吵醒睡着的人。 来自辞典例句
  • The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. 保姆出去了,只剩下我们两个瞌睡虫。 来自辞典例句
2 sensory Azlwe     
adj.知觉的,感觉的,知觉器官的
参考例句:
  • Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
  • The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。
3 awaken byMzdD     
vi.醒,觉醒;vt.唤醒,使觉醒,唤起,激起
参考例句:
  • Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
  • Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。
TAG标签: sleep waves noise brain
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