More than six million adults in the United States take a sleeping pill at least once

美國有超過六百萬成人一個月睡前最少服用一次安眠藥

a month before they go to bed at night, and that number is increasing. But do we even

現在有愈來愈多人在服用，但我們真的

know what they're doing to our brains?!

了解安眠藥對大腦有什麼作用嗎？

Hey there friends, Trace here for DNews. Sleeping pills, or more accurately, sleep aids - are

各位朋友，我是 DNews 的 Trace。安眠藥，或更準確地說，幫助睡眠的藥物

growing in popularity, but are they helping us? A study from the CDC called the National Health

有愈來愈多人服用，但它們真的有效嗎？美國疾病控制與預防中心 (CDC) 的國家健康營養檢視調查

and Nutrition Examination Survey - found sleep aid use increased in the first decade

顯示本世紀前十年安眠藥的使用有顯著增加

of this century significantly, with more women than men using the sleep aids.

女性使用者多於男性

They come in a variety of types, but most common are "sedative hypnotics" which

安眠藥有很多種，最常見的是鎮靜藥物

means it's a pill which mimics being knocked out for a surgical procedure. Benzodiazepines

這種藥的效用就像在手術中昏睡一樣，

and Non-benzodiazepines are in this type, they're sometimes called Z-drugs, because

苯二氮平類（Benzodiazepines, BZD）與非 BZD 藥物有同等效果，後者又名 Z-drugs

they all have Z's in them. Other than these, some people are prescribed antidepressants,

因為那些藥名裡都有Ｚ。除此之外，有些人會拿到抗憂鬱處方

or powerful antihistamines because they make you drowsy.

或者抗組織胺，服用後會昏昏欲睡

Some of these aids succeed in knocking you out by depressing the central nervous system

有些藥物能藉由抑制中樞神經系統的功能讓你昏睡

function, others, like the antihistamine increase drowsiness. There's a newer drug class of

其他的藥物，如抗組織胺，能夠讓你頭昏腦脹。還有另一種新的藥物類別

"Orexin receptor antagonists" which block a brain chemical which keeps you aware and

叫做食欲素受體拮抗劑，阻擋大腦某種讓你清醒的化學物質作用

wakeful. Each of these drugs are great for knocking a human out, but being unconscious

每一種這類的藥物都能有效地讓一個人昏睡，但這種無意識狀態

isn't SLEEP.

並非真正的睡眠

Professor Matthew Walker from University of California Berkeley told Probably Science

加州柏克萊大學的 Matthew Walker 教授在 Probably Science 訪談中提到

if you want to "lose consciousness," these drugs are fine, but it's not natural sleep;

如果你想進入無意識狀態，這些藥物有效，但畢竟那不是真正的睡眠

it's simulated sleep. Drugs alter the "sleep structure" or natural patterns and rhythms

那些藥物只是模擬睡著的狀態。藥物只改變睡眠的形式、規律和節奏

of sleep. When you're sleeping, your brain is still active. It's organizing your days, making dreams

人在睡覺時，大腦是活躍的，整理一天下來的事情，製造夢境

and cleaning itself. Most of the newest drugs will allow the brain into REM sleep, but they

或清理廢物。大部份最新的藥物能讓大腦進入快速動眼期（REM sleep），

DON'T allow the brain to go through the full natural sleep process, which means the brain

但無法讓大腦進入完整的睡眠模式，這也代表

doesn't have a chance to clean up and process memories from the day before; cementing them

大腦沒有機會去清理廢物、整理前一天的記憶、儲存起來

for future reference.

鞏固好以備不時之需

According to the National Institutes of Health, you should never take sleep aids more than

根據美國國家衛生研究院，服用安眠藥的次數一週

three times in a week, and make sure you address any other mental health issues like anxiety

不超過三次，並確保服用安眠藥之前，你有在治療其他精神病如焦慮症

or depression before ever taking a sleep aid. The problem is many of these pills can be habit-forming

或憂鬱症，問題在於服用安眠藥容易變成習慣

- and accidental overdoses are possible - though at least they're usually not lethal.

即使通常不會致命，但有時會服用過量

A popular alternative to drugs is melatonin; a natural hormone which resets your circadian rhythm

許多人用褪黑激素來代替藥物，是體內自然產生的荷爾蒙，可以調節生理時鐘

clock. Everyone produces melatonin. They comes from the pineal gland in the middle

人體內由大腦中間的松果體釋放褪黑激素

of the brain. When the sun drops, melatonin production ramp up for the next 12 hours - helping

太陽下山後，褪黑激素分泌並累積長達十二小時

you feel less aware and awake - usually starting around 9 PM. The problem with melatonin pills

大約從晚上九點開始分泌，幫助你放鬆精神。但有個關於褪黑激素藥物的問題，

is they're not regulated by the FDA - so the amount of the hormone in the pill isn't

這不在美國食藥署 (FDA) 的管理之下，因此藥物裡的荷爾蒙並沒有標準可循

standardized. If you take too much, your body may get used to higher levels than you naturally

如果服用過量，身體會習慣更高劑量的褪黑激素而非體內自然產生的量

produce. This isn't a drug to take willy-nilly, because it won't MAKE you sleep, it only HELPS

這種藥不能亂吃，因為它只是幫助睡眠，不會真正讓你睡個好覺

you to fall asleep. Scientific tests done with placebos and melatonin, by the way, found there is actually no difference between

安慰劑與褪黑激素的科學實驗顯示

the two.

兩者並無差別

For people who don't like pills, psychological or behavioral training can help encourage

那些不喜歡吃藥的人，心理與行為訓練能夠幫助睡眠

sleep, and has the added benefit of encouraging FULL NATURAL sleep rather than sedation. The training

那能讓你真正進入睡眠，而非因為服用鎮靜劑才睡著

starts with things as simple as cutting caffeine six hours before bed, and turning off screens

這種訓練即睡前六小時不碰咖啡因、三小時不看螢幕、

three hours before, as well as using redshift software like Flux to simulate evening sun

還有使用像是 Flux 的 Redshift 軟體根據傍晚光線調整

on your computer screen. I use it, and it works well. I like it a lot.

電腦的螢幕亮度

Have you ever taken a sleeping pill? Do you find a bedtime routine helps you? I find simply SAYING

你服過安眠藥嗎？睡前都在做什麼呢？我發現只要說出 sleepy 這個字

the word sleepy actually makes me more sleepy... is that weird? I guess it's kind of weird.

會讓我覺得很想睡，很怪吧？我想沒錯。

One place where you DON'T want to sleep is behind the wheel, so why not make your car

開車時絕對不能睡著，不妨升級車子的性能

even MORE awesome! Check out Tekzilla's Patrick Norton who teamed up with Subaru to customize

來看看 Tekzilla 的 Patrick Norton 和 Subaru 的客製化

3 high-mileage Subaru cars, so their charity-minded owners can keep doin' their thing & helping

三高里程 Subaru 汽車，讓這些好心的企業家能以他們的專業兼善天下

the world. Check out his handy work on the Second Chance Subaru series at revision3.com/subaru.

他的成品都在 Second Chance Subaru 系列，請見 revision3.com/subaru

Share your sleepy time routines down below. Make sure you subscribe. And thanks for watching DNews, buddy. Sweet dreams!!

不妨在影片下方分享你的睡前活動，也別忘了訂閱，感謝收看 DNews！晚安！