Since the height of the pandemic, there has been a cultural shift in the way we talk about mental health. It’s as though the years of isolation and uncertainty helped us understand how vital our emotional needs were to our overall well-being. 自疫情肆虐以来，我们从文化角度谈论心理健康的方式发生了变化。似乎数年的隔离和不确定性让我们明白，情感需求对我们的整体健康有多么重要。
Now that we’re paying more attention to our inner lives, it’s also essential that we take action. Fortunately, there are a number of things that everyone can do to nourish their mental health and find moments of joy.
现在，我们更加关注自己的内心世界，同时也必须采取行动。幸运的是，每个人都可以做一些事情来滋养自己的心理健康，寻找快乐时刻。
Here are some of our favorite tips from the past year as we prepare to enter 2024.
在即将进入2024年之际，以下是我们去年最喜欢的一些小贴士。
1. Try a proven way to sleep better.
1. 尝试一个有效的方式来提高睡眠质量。
Experts say that getting enough sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our mental health. If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, studies have found that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or C.B.T.-I., is as effective as using sleep medications in the short term — and more effective in the long term. C.B.T.-I. helps people address anxieties about sleep and find ways to relax. To find a provider, try the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine directory.
专家表示，充足的睡眠是保证心理健康的要务之一。如果你难以入睡或睡眠质量不高，研究发现，失眠认知行为疗法(CBT-I)可以起到和服用睡眠药物一样的短期效果，长期效果则更佳。CBT-I帮助人们解决对睡眠的焦虑，并找到放松的方法。寻找相关服务，请参考行为睡眠医学协会的名录。
2. Learn how to tell whether your anxiety is protective or problematic.
2. 了解如何判断你的焦虑是出于保护还是病态的。
It’s normal to feel anxious from time to time. In fact, having some anxiety can actually be useful. Experts say an internal alarm system can improve our performance, help us recognize danger and even encourage us to be more conscientious. So we asked Dr. Petros Levounis, the president of the American Psychiatric Association: How much anxiety is too much?
偶尔感到焦虑是正常的现象。事实上，有些焦虑甚至是有益的。专家表示，内部警报系统可以提高我们的表现，帮助我们发现危险，甚至鼓励我们更加认真。因此，我们问美国精神病学会主席彼得罗斯·莱沃尼斯博士，焦虑到什么程度就算过度了？
“If you start to notice that worry and fear are there constantly, that is a signal that you need some help,” he said.
他说：“如果你开始注意到担心和恐惧持续存在，那这就是一个信号，说明你需要一些帮助了。”
Other signs to look out for include restlessness, a sense of fear or doom, increased heart rate, sweating, trembling and trouble concentrating.
其他需要注意的迹象包括坐立不安、恐惧悲观、心率加快、出汗、颤抖和注意力不集中。
3. Stop the worry cycle.
3. 阻断忧虑的循环。
If you have a tendency to ruminate, there are a few simple ways to curb the habit. The first is to distract yourself: Research shows that diversions can help get your mind off whatever is stressing you out. Try playing a word game or listening to music, paying close attention to the lyrics.
如果你总是想太多，这里有一些简单的方法来帮你控制这个习惯。首先是分散自己的注意力：研究表明，转移注意力可以帮助你摆脱所有让你感到压力的事情。试着玩字谜游戏或听音乐，留意歌曲里的歌词。
Other times, it’s better not to fight the urge — but that doesn’t mean you should let your thoughts spiral out of control. Set a timer for 10 to 30 minutes of dedicated rumination time, and give yourself permission to mentally mull things over. When the timer goes off, it’s time to move on.
另外一些时候，最好不要压制这种冲动——但这并不意味着你应该让你陷在里面。设定计时器，给自己10到30分钟的专用时间用于乱想，允许自己在心里爱怎么想就怎么想。时间一到，就立刻放下。
4. Practice ‘5 things tidying.’
4. 练习“五件事整理”。
When you’re struggling with your mental health, basic tasks like washing dishes or doing laundry can feel impossible. But living amid mess can make you feel even worse. KC Davis, a licensed professional counselor and author of the book “How to Keep House While Drowning,” advises focusing on function over aesthetics — your home doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be livable.
当你在与心理健康作斗争时，像洗碗或洗衣服这样的基本任务可能会让人感觉不做也罢。但生活在混乱之中会让你感觉更糟。KC·戴维斯是一位有执照的专业咨询师，也是《溺水时如何打理房子》(How to Keep House While Drowning)一书的作者，他建议把重点放在功能上，而不是看起来是不是漂亮——你的家不一定要完美，但它应该是适合居住的。
An efficient way to keep things from getting out of hand is to practice what she calls “five things tidying.” Tackle the five main categories of clutter — trash, dishes, laundry, things with a place and things without a place — one at a time to help cleaning feel more manageable.
防止事情失控的有效方法是练习她所说的“五件事整理”。处理五类主要的家务事——垃圾、碗碟、洗衣、有地方放的东西和没地方放的东西——一次处理一种，让清洁变得更容易管理。
5. Embrace gratitude.
5. 心存感恩。
Gratitude is a positive emotion that can arise when you acknowledge that you have goodness in your life and that other people — or higher powers, if you believe in them — have helped you achieve that goodness.
感恩是一种积极的情绪，当你承认生活中有美好的事物，并且其他人——或者更高的力量（如果你相信的话）——帮助你实现这种美好时，就会产生这种情绪。
To really reap the benefits of gratitude, experts say, it’s important to express it whenever possible. That might include writing letters of thanks or listing the positive things in your life in a journal. Giving thanks to friends, romantic partners and even co-workers can also offer a relationship boost.
专家说，要想真正从感恩中获益，重要的是要尽可能地表达出来。这可能包括写感谢信或在日记中列出你生活中积极的事情。向朋友、恋人甚至同事表示感谢也能增进感情。
6. Be optimistic about aging.
6. 乐观面对衰老。
Research shows that mindset really matters when it comes to health, and it can even extend your life. A classic study found that people who were optimistic about aging lived seven and a half years longer than those who had negative perceptions of it.
研究表明，心态对健康非常重要，甚至可以延长寿命。一项经典研究发现，对衰老持乐观态度的人比那些持消极看法的人多活七年半。
To adopt a more positive outlook about getting older, shift your focus to the benefits of aging, like better emotional well-being and higher emotional intelligence. Look for aging role models, too: older people who stay physically active and engaged in their communities, or those with traits that you admire.
要想对变老持更积极的态度，就要把注意力转移到年老的好处上，比如更好的情绪健康和更高的情商。也要寻找年老的榜样：那些保持身体活跃、参与社区活动的老年人，或者那些具有你所钦佩特质的人。
7. Participate in the arts.
7. 参与艺术活动。
The notion that art can improve mental well-being is something many people intuitively understand but don’t necessarily put into practice.
许多人心里都知道，艺术可以让心理更健康，但不一定会去付诸实践。
You don’t need talent to give it a try, experts say. Writing a poem, singing or drawing can all help elevate your mood, no matter how creative you consider yourself to be. One of the easiest ways to get started is to color something intricate: Spending 20 minutes coloring a mandala (a complex geometric design) is more helpful for reducing anxiety than free-form coloring for the same length of time, research has found.
专家表示，并非得有天赋才可以去尝试这件事。无论你认为自己的创造力几何，写一首诗、唱歌或画画都能帮助你提升情绪。最简单的方法之一就是给一些复杂的东西上色：研究发现，花20分钟给一个曼陀罗（一种复杂的几何图案）上色，比花同样的时间随便上色更有助于减少焦虑。
8. Look for a little bit of awe every day.
8. 每天寻找一点点敬畏。
Sometimes we have to remind ourselves to connect with the physical world around us. Enter the awe walk.
有时我们必须提醒自己要和周身的实体世界保持联系。这就是敬畏之行的用处。
Pick a walking spot (either new or familiar) and imagine that you’re seeing it for the first time. Then pay attention to your senses. Feel the wind on your face, touch the petals of a flower. Simply notice the sky. It can be more restorative than you might expect.
找一个步行的地方（熟悉还是陌生的地方都可以），但想象自己是第一次来到这里。然后把注意力放在自己的感官上。感受拂面的风，触碰花瓣。看一看天空都可以。这样做的恢复效果可能超出你的想象。
9. Take a tech break.
9. 远离科技一小会儿。
If you’re having trouble focusing, it’s not just you. Research has found that over the past two decades, the amount of time we spend on a given task has shrunk to an average of just 47 seconds, down from two and a half minutes. Technology is often to blame.
如果你觉得很难集中注意力，那不是你特有的问题。研究发现过去20年里，我们平均在某一项事务上花费的时间已经缩减到47秒，原先是两分半钟。科技往往被认为是罪魁祸首。
To regain control of your concentration, Larry Rosen, a professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, suggested a strategy he calls “tech breaks.” Set a timer for 15 minutes, then silence and set aside your phone. When time is up, take one or two minutes to check your favorite apps — that’s your tech break — and get back to work for another 15-minute cycle. The goal is to gradually increase the time between your tech breaks, building up to 45 minutes (or more) away from your phone.
要重新找回自己的注意力，加州州立大学多明戈山分校心理学荣休教授拉里·罗森的建议是一种他称为“远离科技一小会儿”的策略。设置一个15分钟的计时器，然后把手机设为静音放到一旁。15分钟后，用一两分钟查看你偏好的应用——这就是你远离科技的休息时间了，然后再开始一段15分钟的工作时间。目标是逐步增加远离科技之间的时间，把离开手机的时间最终增加到45分钟（甚至更久）。
10. Take a deep breath.
10. 深呼吸。
One of the fastest, easiest ways you can calm your mind and body is by taking slow, deep breaths. Doing so helps to turn up your parasympathetic nervous system — the counterbalance to the “fight or flight” stress response — and lower your blood pressure and regulate your heart rate.
要让身心平静下来，最简单、最快捷的一个方式是做一次缓慢的深呼吸。这有助于激活你的副交感神经系统——以抵消“战还是逃”的压力反应——并降低血压，调节心率。
One breathing exercise that can be particularly helpful for mitigating fear and anxiety is 4-4-8 breathing, where you inhale for four counts, hold your breath for four counts and exhale for eight counts.
有一项呼吸练习对纾解恐惧和焦虑尤为有效，那就是4-4-8呼吸，吸气数到四，屏住呼吸数到四，然后呼气数到八。
Christina Caron是时报健康版面记者，报道心理健康以及文化和医疗保健的交叉议题。此前她曾担任育儿记者、一般领域记者和责任编辑。点击查看更多关于她的信息。
Dana G.Smith是时报健康版面记者，她撰写从精神暴露疗法到新冠治疗趋势的方方面面。点击查看更多关于他的信息。
翻译：杜然
