夫妻同牀共枕好處多多 背後蘊藏科學依據大綱

Stolen sheets, snoring and hot flashes are just some of the annoyances that lead a quarter of U.S. couples to sleep apart, according to the National Sleep Foundation. But do the benefits of sharing a bed outweigh such costs? One neurologist, Rachel E. Salas, the assistant medical director for the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, shares her expert opinion.

據全美睡眠基金會(National Sleep Foundation)說，美國有四分之一的夫婦分牀而睡，而對方喜歡搶被子、有打呼嚕的毛病以及自己感覺潮熱只是其中的部分原因。但是同牀而眠的好處是否大於上述壞處呢？約翰・霍普金斯大學睡眠中心助理醫學主任、神經學家薩拉斯(Rachel E. Salas)從專業的角度給出了她的觀點。

Safety, Warmth

安全與溫暖

People have slept in the same bed as a family unit for millennia-mainly for warmth and protection from predators and outsiders, says Dr. Salas, who has studied the history of sleep.

從事睡眠歷史研究的薩拉斯說，幾千年來，家人會睡在同一張牀上，原因主要是爲了取暖，保護自己不受捕食者和外人的侵襲。

'Back in the cave days and even through recent history, many people didn't bathe often or have lots of clothes, so they slept naked. Sleeping together was essential for warmth,' she says.

她說，早在穴居人時代，甚至是直到近代，很多人不經常洗澡，沒有很多的衣服，所以他們會裸睡。同牀而眠對保暖非常重要。

Then as now, she says, it is human to feel safer knowing someone is lying close beside you.

她說，和現在一樣，那時候如果知道有人躺在你的身邊，出於人的本能你會感覺更安全。

The Science of Spooning

同牀共枕背後的科學

There have been few scientific studies on couples sleeping together. But experts say oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, is released during many types of touching, including cuddling. Increased oxytocin helps the body relax, reduces blood pressure and promotes healing, Dr. Salas says. It also results in emotional feelings related to affection, security and love.

鮮有科學研究是關於夫婦同牀而眠的。但專家們說，催產素，也就是所謂的“愛情荷爾蒙”，會在人們擁抱或做很多其他種撫摸動作時釋放出來。薩拉斯說，催產素分泌的增多有助於身體放鬆，降低血壓，促進傷愈。此外，催產素還會使人產生與喜愛、安全和愛慕有關的情感。

A recent study showed a link between quality of sleep and couples' daytime interactions. For men, the better the sleep a couple got, the smoother their next-day spousal interactions, Dr. Salas says. For women, less negative interaction with their husbands during the day led to more restful sleep that night.

最近的一項研究顯示，睡眠質量與夫婦白天的互動有關。薩拉斯說，對男性來說，夫妻兩人睡得越好，第二天夫妻互動就越順利。對女性來說，白天與丈夫的負面互動越少，當天晚上的睡眠質量就越高。

'I can't quote any studies, but from my neurology background, I would suspect that having a person that you are the protector for or who protects you nearby increases the release of neurotransmitters involved with good sleep,' Dr. Salas says.

薩拉斯說，我無法以任何研究爲證，但根據我的神經學經驗，我懷疑身旁有一個你可以保護的人或可以保護你的人，會增加與良好睡眠有關的神經遞質的釋放。

Wake-Up Calls

睡眠障礙

Getting quality sleep enhances a person's quality of life, Dr. Salas says. People with sleep disorders, such as apnea, night terrors or sleepwalking, may benefit from having a bed partner who can observe nighttime behaviors and help with a diagnosis.

薩拉斯說，擁有高質量的睡眠可以提高生活質量。患有睡眠呼吸暫停症、夜驚或夢遊等睡眠障礙的人若有人與其同睡，可能有好處，因爲牀伴可以觀察其夜間的行爲，爲診斷提供幫助。

But for some people, sleeping together could do more harm than good: 'If you wake up often from ambient noises or get hot in your sleep, keeping your bed to yourself may be exactly what you need.'

但對一些人來說，同牀而眠可能弊大於利：如果你經常因周圍環境中的聲音而醒來，或在睡覺時感覺燥熱，那麼一個人睡可能正是你所需要的。

'Humans are Social Creatures'

人是社會動物

Sleeping apart is a relatively modern phenomenon and varies across cultures, Dr. Salas says. 'My father is from Mexico and my mom is from Texas, and both of them slept with all of their brothers and sisters when they were growing up,' she says. If you go to other countries, whole families still sleep together, she says. 'Humans are social creatures. We want someone nearby.

薩拉斯說，分牀而睡是一種相對現代的現象，不同的文化會有不同的表現。我父親來自墨西哥，我母親來自得克薩斯州，他們兩人小時候都和兄弟姐妹一起睡。她說，如果你去別的國家，有些地方全家人仍睡在一起。人是社會動物。我們希望有人在我們的身旁。