世界文化知多少：世界各地人们的减压方法大盘点

英语自学网

　　我们知道你压力很大。其实我们在世界各地的朋友们也是一样，不知道这算不算安慰。“没有足够的时间或帮助来满足你生活中的需求，这就构成了压力，不论你身在德克萨斯还是台湾，” 美国波士顿的身心健康多玛中心的执行主任Alice Domar博士说。
　　We know you're stressed. If it's any comfort, our friends around the world are juggling a lot now, too. "What constitutes stress is not having the time or help to meet demands in your life, whether you're in Texas or Taiwan," says Alice Domar, PhD, executive director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Boston。
　　我们知道你压力很大。其实我们在世界各地的朋友们也是一样，不知道这算不算安慰。“没有足够的时间或帮助来满足你生活中的需求，这就构成了压力，不论你身在德克萨斯还是台湾，” 美国波士顿的身心健康多玛中心的执行主任Alice Domar博士说。
　　You knew that, but you might not be aware of stress relief tactics—centuries-old practices, in some cases—that women in foreign locales rely on. And not one involves lavender candles。
　　你明白这一点，但你也许不知道各国女性们千百年来运用的减压的方法。这可不需要点薰衣草蜡烛。
　　France
　　法国
　　"When I come home from a stressful day, I relax with a petit aperitif—the French ceremony of having a small glass of wine with a side of cashew nuts or pita chips with hummus and olives. Then I'm ready to cook dinner!" —Ingrid Jackel, CEO of Physicians Formula; Toulouse
　　“当我结束紧张的一天回到家，我会用一小杯开胃酒让自己放松。法式仪式是一小杯红酒配上一点腰果或皮塔饼，再加点鹰嘴豆沙和橄榄。然后我就可以准备做晚餐啦！”——Ingrid Jacke， 法国图卢兹，美容品牌Physicians Formula公司CEO。
　　What you can do: "Wine is a relaxant, that's true, but more important is having a ritual to separate the chaos of work from the comfort of home," Domar says. Any ritual you look forward to will do the trick, whether you wash up and change into sweats or zone out with a game of Words with Friends。
　　你可以做的是：“红酒可以帮你放松，这没错，但更重要的是要有一个例行仪式，把工作的混乱和家庭的舒适分隔开，”Domar 说。任何你期望的仪式都有这种作用，不论是洗个澡换上卫衣还是玩一会儿填字游戏。
　　Russia
　　俄罗斯
　　"Russians go to the banya, a hot sauna, and since moving here I do that, too. The daily stress level is high and work is constant. Just sitting in the extreme heat to sweat is a miracle invention to salve the soul." —Amanda Lynn Hinson, 35, writer; Khabarovsk
　　“俄罗斯人会去蒸桑拿，自从搬来这里我也这样做。每天压力都很大，总有做不完的工作。坐在高温里流汗是一种让灵魂放松的神奇发明。”——Amanda Lynn Hinson, 35岁，哈巴罗夫斯克，作家。
　　What you can do: Hit the shower—and make it a warm one. Just a few minutes can wash away tension, and it's not just the feel of pulsating water on your skin: Research from Yale University indicates that the enveloping warmth you get from a hot shower can trigger brain and body responses that mirror emotional warmth, boosting your mood. Just get out after 10 minutes to avoid drying skin。
　　你可以做的是：洗个热水澡。只需要几分钟就可以冲走紧张，这不只是水流冲击皮肤的感觉：耶鲁大学的一项研究表明，你从一个热水澡中获得的热度，可以刺激大脑和身体反射情绪热度的反应，提升你的情绪。但洗澡时间不要超过10分钟，以免皮肤过于干燥。
            
            

entwo

        　　Sweden
　　瑞典
　　"In Sweden we enjoy fika, taking a coffee break with friends. It's been a part of our culture since the 1700s. In many companies, people take fika breaks around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; they head to a café for lattes, tea, or smoothies with a cinnamon roll, muffin, or macaron. Fika has something very friendly and peaceful about it." —Sarah Melin, 42, manager at a TV production company; Stockholm
　　“在瑞典我们喜欢和朋友一起和杯咖啡休息一下。这从18世纪开始就是我们文化的一部分。在许多公司，人们在上午10点和下午3点左右会喝咖啡休息。他们去咖啡店喝拿铁、茶，或者冰沙，配上肉桂卷、小松饼或马卡龙，这种放松方式气氛友好而且平静。”——Sarah Melin, 42岁，斯德哥尔摩，在一家电视制作公司任经理。
　　What you can do: Program a break reminder into your smartphone, heed the beeps, and grab a friend for coffee in the office kitchen. Don't feel guilty for slacking off; in a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, people who got up to socialize during the work day ended up being 10 to 15 percent more productive than those who didn't. 　　你可以做的是：在你的智能手机上设置一个休息提醒，注意提醒铃声，然后拉上一个朋友去办公室茶水间喝喝咖啡。不要为放松感到内疚，一项麻省理工学院的研究表明，那些在工作期间进行社交活动放松的人，比没有这样做的人工作效率高10%-15%。
　　Thailand
　　泰国
　　"Massage is a science here. It's often vigorous, with knees and elbows applying pressure, and much stress reduction." —Pam Sangsingkeo, 39, university lecturer; Bangkok 　　“在这里按摩是一门科学。 按摩通常都很有力，用膝盖和手肘施压，可以消除许多压力。”——Pam Sangsingkeo，39岁，曼谷，大学讲师
　　What you can do: Knead the nape of your neck and the surrounding area. "Stimulating pressure receptors releases serotonin, a natural antidepressant," says Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami. Better yet: Get your partner to do it。
　　你可以做的是：按揉后颈部和周围区域。“在按压的刺激下会释放血管收缩素，这是一种天然的抗抑郁剂，” 迈阿密大学的触觉研究所主任Tiffany Field 博士说。当然，如果让你的另一半来做就更好了。
　　Argentina
　　阿根廷
　　"People drink maté, a hot herbal drink, passing it around a circle of friends like a peace pipe. It makes me feel connected and strong, able to face down any stress." —Desirée Jaimovich, 35, journalist; Buenos Aires
　　“人们喝巴拉圭茶，这是一种草本热饮。把它在一圈朋友当中传递，就好像北美印第安人的和睦烟斗一样。这让我感到坚强而且和外界有联系，让我可以面对一切压力。”——Desirée Jaimovich，35岁，布宜诺斯艾利斯，记者。
　　What you can do: Forget social media; try social eating. Sharing food releases a surge of calming oxytocin, Belgian research shows. Notes anthropologist Michael Gurven, PhD, of the University of California–Santa Barbara: "Bonding over communal eats says, 'You're a valued part of my network.'" Skip the communal tea during flu season; think a pot of melted chocolate for S'mores。
　　你可以做的是：忘记社交媒体，尝试社交进餐。比利时的一项研究表明，分享食物会释放出大量镇静作用的脑下垂体后叶荷尔蒙。圣巴巴拉的加州大学人类学家Michael Gurven博士说：“和他人在一起吃饭意思是说 ‘你是我人际网络中很重要的一部分。’” 在流感季节可以把一起喝茶换成蘸着一壶融化的巧克力，吃巧克力棉花糖夹心饼干。
            
            

ensix

        　　Ireland
　　爱尔兰
　　"In the cold-weather months, it's not just a matter of bundling up our kids to get outside for fresh air—you always find adults taking winter walks. It revives my brain and energizes me." —Phoebe Holmes, 40, blogger; Dublin
　　“在天冷的月份里，不仅要让孩子们穿暖和出去呼吸新鲜空气，你还总能看到成年人在冬季散步。这让我的大脑清醒，让我充满能量。”——Phoebe Holmes，40岁，都柏林，博客作家。
　　What you can do: Head outside for a brisk stroll. In a 2012 University of Maryland School of Public Health study, people who rode a stationary bike for 30 minutes and then saw disturbing photographs (including images of violence) were less anxious than people who sat quietly before viewing the photos。
　　你可以做的是：走出去散个步。2012年马里兰大学公共健康学院的一项调查表明，和安静坐着的人相比，那些在固定自行车上骑行30分钟的人看到一些令人不安的照片(包括暴力画面)时焦虑程度要轻一些。 　　Exercise not only reduces anxiety, but helps you maintain that feeling when confronted with distressing events. During the colder months, with less mood-boosting natural light around, it's especially helpful to get outside。
　　运动不仅会降低焦虑程度，还会帮助你在面临烦恼的事件时保持情绪。在寒冷的月份，保持积极情绪的自然光线减少，这时外出走动会特别有帮助。
　　China
　　中国
　　"Women do a foot soak called zu yu before bed. I put hot water in a big pot and sit on my sofa as I read a book or surf my Weibo, Chinese Twitter. Sometimes I lean back and fall asleep, it's so relaxing." —Frances Wu, 37, office clerk; Shanghai
　　“女人们在睡前泡脚，这叫做足浴。我把热水倒进一个大盆里，然后坐在沙发上看书或者刷微博。有时候我向后一倒睡着了，这种方法特别放松。”
　　Frances Wu， 37岁，上海，办公室职员。
　　What you can do: Soothe your feet with this remedy of Red Door Spa: Dunk feet up to the ankles in hot water in a plastic bin or the tub, adding a handful of Epsom salts and 2 spoonfuls of baking soda. "After 15 minutes, swelling goes down and circulation improves. It's amazingly relaxing。
　　你可以做的是：用Red Door Spa 提供的这个疗法来放松你的双脚：往塑料盆或桶中放入热水，把脚踝以下都浸泡其中，加入少量硫酸镁和两勺烘焙苏打。“15分钟之后足部肿胀消除，血液循环加强，让人非常放松。
　　India
　　印度
　　"Every morning, I do a laughter exercise—I smile, wave my hands, and jump. The more I do it, the more vital I feel." —Rashmi Vyas Aparajit, 45, health program director; Mumbai
　　“每天早晨我都做一种笑容练习——我微笑，挥手，跳跃。我做得越多，感觉自己越有活力。”——Rashmi Vyas Aparajit， 45岁，孟买，健康项目策划人。
　　What you can do: Yuk it up! The contracting stomach muscles trigger a surge of feel-good endorphins, according to a study from Oxford University. Even a couple of minutes of belly laughter can be calming—a good reminder to tape your favorite late-night show and actually watch it。
　　你可以做的是：哈哈大笑！根据牛津大学的一项研究，收缩的腹部肌肉会促进分泌一种让人感觉良好的内啡肽。哪怕只是几分钟用到腹部的大笑也可以让人镇静下来，你可以录下你最爱的深夜节目然后观看。
　　Denmark
　　丹麦
　　"It gets dark at 3:30 p.m. in the winter here, so Danes have gotten good at creating hygge, or 'cozy.' We come and go casually to each others' houses on evenings and weekends. It's about being happy at home with no one rushing to go anywhere." —Mette Borring, 48, finance executive; Copenhagen
　　“这里的冬天下午3点半就天黑了，所以丹麦人很擅长创造舒适的环境。我们在晚上和周末会去别人家里随意走动。大家很开心地待在家里，没有人会急着出门。”——Mette Borring，48岁，哥本哈根，财务主管。
　　What you can do: It's very simple, but key: Invite friends over and don't fuss too much. "If we worry about inviting people to the perfect party, the task seems overwhelming. So I lower the bar to a manageable level. I had a holiday party that was dessert and drinks—so much easier than serving dinner, and very festive!"
　　你可以做的是：这很简单，但也很关键：邀请你的朋友们，别太郑重其事。“如果我们担心邀请朋友的聚会能不能完美，这个任务显然太沉重了。所以我把标准降低到可以实现的水平。我办过一次假日聚会，准备了甜点和饮料，这比准备晚宴容易多了，而且非常有节日气氛！”
         (编辑：何莹莹）