If you’re having trouble sleeping, I’d like to offer you some unique tips you won’t find in many places.

　　如果你正受着失眠的困扰，我会给你一些独特的建议，而且这些建议很不常见。

　　I know that when I’m tossing and turning at night, unable to slide into a deep and comfy slumber, it sometimes feels like I’ve completely forgotten how to drift off.

　　我知道当我在夜晚辗转难眠的时候，我就无法进入深度舒适的睡眠状态，有时候感觉自己完全忘了我是如何迷迷糊糊睡去的。

　　This is when I’m forced to get creative with my sleep tactics because the standard online recommendations for sleep usually don’t work for me.

　　这就是我不得不寻找一些有助睡眠的法子的时候了，因为普通的在线建议对于我来说都没多大用处。

　　So if you’ve also tried the common tips for insomnia and you still can’t sleep, one of these unique suggestions just might work:

　　所以，如果你也尝试过多种常见的改善失眠的方法，但仍然无法入睡，那么下面这些特别的小方法也许能奏效。

　　1. Picture a place in the world that fascinates you and fly over it like a superhero who is in total control.

　　1.想象一个让你着迷的场景，然后幻想自己像个超级英雄一样翱翔，但你是完全受控的。

　　Use your mind’s eye to fly like Supergirl or Superman over any location in the world. Witness people of another culture doing whatever you think they would do during a normal day or whatever comes to mind. You are totally safe from above. Be fascinated by your power to fly. Know that you’re in total control.

　　利用自己心灵的眼睛去飞翔，就像女超人一样，随处飞翔到世界上的任何角落。见证别的文化的人们当下的活动，就像你想象他们在平常会做的事情或你想到的一样。这些想象对你完全无害。投入到自己的飞翔力量中。但也要了解到自己是完全受控的。

　　Observe a familiar place or an exotic location. Just make sure you choose a comforting scene associated with curiosity, simple pleasures or calm.

　　观察一个熟悉的地方或者异域的空间。只需要确保自己选择一个舒适的场景，感受好奇心、简单的快乐与安宁。

　　Stay away from places that remind you of pain or conflict. Keep visualizing until you tire out. Allow yourself to see boring sites as well or witness the everyday humdrum of life. It just might help you to drift off into sleep land.

　　远离那些让你感到痛苦和挣扎的场景。在想象力枯竭之前不断地想象。允许自己去有查看沉闷的场景，或者日常单调的生活。这样做也许能帮助你很快降落到睡眠之地。

　　2. Picture yourself interacting with your favorite characters in a movie, book or TV show.

　　2. 想象自己与最喜爱的电影明星、作家或电视明星互动。

　　That’s right. Go ahead and allow yourself to live along side of the larger-than-life characters. You’ve probably become so familiar with them that it’s like visiting old friends, which can have a calming effect. Make up a story in mind and interact with these characters. Act like the scenery is real life. Believe it or not, Game of Thrones characters work for me. Maybe it’s the amazing scenery and the depth of the characters who I’ve grown to care for.

　　没错。尽情幻想着有传奇色彩的那些人们。你可能变得与他们非常亲近，就像探访老朋友一样，这样能达到宁神的效果。在心里编一个故事，与偶像们互动。表现得就像这个场景就是真实生活的场景。无论你是否相信，我常常想象“权力的游戏”里的演员，都非常有效。也许这是很令人难以置信的场景，而且我对这些演员的了解更深入了。

　　3. Count by 7s, 8s, 9s or any number whose multiples you haven’t memorized.

　　3. 数着与7，8，9相关的数字或其他你记不住的倍数。

　　This exercise is aimed at tiring out your mind. Initially, it might wake you up a bit as you access your brainpower to figure out the multiples. Count to 200 or some number that challenges your mind. Repeat if you want.

　　这个练习的目的在于把你的精力消耗尽。一开始，可能会让你有点清醒，因为你需要激发脑动力去想那些倍数。当你数到了200或更大的数字的时候就会挑战你的精力。如果有必要，那就反复练习吧。

　　The goal here is really to take your mind off of anything troubling and focus on a menial and boring task. If you have a favorite multiple to count by, go for it. If you can’t sleep with after trying one counting method, switch to another. Try to bore yourself with it.

　　最终目的在于真的把你的注意力转移到别的无关痛痒的事情，然后专注于一项微不足道且乏味的任务。如果你有一个自己喜好的倍数，那就试试吧。如果你尝试一种方法后仍然无法入睡，那就改变另外一种。尽量让自己感到困乏。

　　4. Pretend to snore.

　　4. 假装打鼾。

　　Please apologize in advance to anyone who may be occupying the bed with you. Make a light snoring noise as though you’re in a deep sleep. This will promote deep breathing. Focus on taking giant breaths, but don’t make the breaths unnatural.

　　在采取这一步之前，请提前向那位与你同床共枕的朋友致歉。轻轻地发出打鼾的声音，假装自己已经进入深度睡眠。这样能够促进深呼吸。专注进行幅度大的呼吸，但不要让你的呼吸变得不正常。

　　Just imagine how you’d be breathing if you were really sleeping. Do this for as long as it takes to reach a greater level of relaxation. If you’re saying to yourself, “I can’t sleep,” trick yourself into thinking the opposite by pretending to be sleepy. Try saying, “Wow, I’m getting so sleepy.” Keep imagining yourself falling asleep. Then snore away.

　　想象一下自己真的睡着了，呼吸的状况是怎样的。尽可能保持这种呼吸方法，以保证得到最大的放松。如果你对自己说：“我睡不着”，那就欺骗自己，假装很困乏。然后这么说：“哇，我真的越来越困了。”然后一直想象自己即将进入睡眠状态。然后开始打鼾。

　　5. Get out of bed and make a to-do list on paper if you can’t stop thinking about tomorrow’s tasks.

　　5. 如果你一直想着明天的任务，那就跳下床去写一份待办事项清单吧。

　　Divide a piece of paper in half and make two lists: one of urgent tasks and another of important tasks. Number what you believe needs to be done first, second, third, fourth, etc.

　　把一张纸条一分为二，分为两个列表：一个写下紧急任务，另外一个写下重要任务。给那些需要完成的标注，第一件事情，然后第二件，第三件，第三件等等。

　　Designate an easily achievable task as #1 to get your productivity engine up and running. Then move to the more challenging tasks. An optional second step is to visualize yourself doing each of these tasks successfully.

　　有意把容易完成的任务列为第一件，这样就能激发创造力和持续性。然后再到更具挑战性的任务。有另外一个选择，便是想象自己完成每一件任务都非常成功。

　　Then get back in bed and don’t be surprised if you find yourself ready to fall asleep. Why? Preparing a to-do will make you feel like life is more in your control and you won’t have to worry as much about remembering all that needs to be done tomorrow.

　　然后回到床上，不要觉得奇怪，此时你可能会觉得想睡觉了。为什么呢?编写一份待办事项清单会让你觉得生活在自己的掌握之中，你也不必煞费苦心记住那些明天需要完成的任务了。

　　Note: These recommendations are meant to teach you how to fall asleep if you sleeping problems are mild to moderate. They are not meant for battling serious and chronic insomnia. If you experience chronic insomnia, please consider discussing it with your primary care doctor or a sleep specialist who can conduct a formal assessment and make recommendations to eliminate your sleeping problems.

　　注意：这些建议在于为轻度到中度失眠的人群解决睡眠问题。它们无法解决严重的和长期性的失眠症。如果你遭受着长期性的失眠困扰，那么请考虑咨询一位保健医师或睡眠专家，以便对你的情况进行评估，并作出相应的建议以缓解睡眠障碍。

　　Sleep tight and I hope you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy a pleasant, new morning.

　　好好睡一觉，我希望你醒来后感到焕然一新，并且准备好享受一个愉快的，崭新的早晨。

（编辑：何莹莹）