22点和23点睡觉，差距到底有多大？

晚上11点，有的人已经进入梦乡，有的人则在熬夜玩手机……晚上10点睡还是11点睡，看上去只是差了一个小时，但在医生看来，对健康的影响差了很多。

这些关于睡眠的真相，每个人都该早点知道。

It's 11 pm – some are fast asleep, while others are burning the midnight oil on their phones. An hour apart in bedtime, 10 pm versus 11 pm, may seem trivial, but doctors say it makes a world of difference to your health. Let's explore these essential truths about sleep that everyone should know.

Most people can relate: hitting the hay just one hour earlier drastically boosts your energy and mood the following day. A 2020 study published in the journal Sleepfound that skimping on sleep at night leads to poorer mood and increased irritability the next day.

Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep, and its secretion follows a light-dependent circadian rhythm. Levels stay low during the day and rise sharply around 10 pm. Going to bed at this hour syncs perfectly with the peak of melatonin production, maximizing its sleep-promoting effects and helping you fall asleep faster. Delaying bedtime means missing this window. For sensitive people, this can lead to that frustrating feeling of being too tired to sleep.

• 学龄前儿童10—13小时；

• 中小学生8—10小时；

• 成年人7—8小时；

• 老年人6—7小时。

良好的睡眠质量是健康睡眠的关键。良好睡眠质量通常表现为：

▌入睡时间在30分钟以内（6岁以下儿童在20分钟以内）；

Falling asleep within 30 minutes (20 minutes for children under 6)

▌夜间醒来的次数不超过3次，且醒来后能在20分钟内再次入睡；

▌醒来后感到精神饱满、心情愉悦、精力充沛、注意力集中。

Feeling refreshed, cheerful, energized and focused upon waking

People stay up late for all sorts of reasons: some by choice, some due to work or other obligations, and others due to insomnia. Here's how to adjust your routine and minimize the health damage from late nights:

Many burn the midnight oil just to carve out a little personal time. Instead, shift this time to the daytime: take a walk in a nearby park after work, or spend 20 minutes unwinding with an empty mind after meals.

Turn sleep into a pleasure by creating a calming bedtime routine. Put away all electronic devices an hour before bed, change into comfortable pajamas and soak your feet to relax your body. Then close your eyes and drift off to soothing sounds, whether it's gentle music or white noise.

If overthinking keeps you up at night, set a 10-minute time limit to process your thoughts – once the clock stops, let them go. Alternatively, write down your worries before bed; the act of putting pen to paper helps clarify your thinking and restores a sense of control. Boost your work efficiency during the day and cut down on mental exertion after hours.

Spend your pre-bed time in the living room or on the sofa, and only get into bed when you feel sleepy. If you can't fall asleep after 30 minutes in bed, get up and do a relaxing activity, then return to bed when drowsy. Repeat this practice to train your brain to associate bed solely with sleep.

For adults, 7–8 hours of sleep is recommended, with 6 hours as the absolute minimum. Keep a consistent sleep and wake-up time, even on weekends, avoid sleeping in late.