墙裂推荐! 专业而实用! (内含具体建议)

作者是 UCLA 的脑神经科学家, 背景很专业.

但不同的是, 不像很多专业书重点都在讲背后的原理, 这本书里有非非非非非常多实用建议, 书里每隔几页就有灰色背景框的段落, 里面都是实用建议, 更重要的是都有科学依据!

具体可行的建议摘要如下 (太多了, 所以本文非非非非非非非非非非非非非非常长), 但因为都是基于上下文的, 推荐阅读原书, 具体科学原理同样见原书

具体建议 (中英双语):

# PART 1: STUCK IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL

## Chapter 1

**Go out in the sunlight**. Bright sunlight helps boost the production of serotonin. It also improves the release of melatonin, which helps you get a better night’s sleep (chapter 7). So if you’re stuck inside, make an effort to go outside for at least a few minutes in the middle of the day. Go for a walk, listen to some music, or just soak in the sun.

**多晒太阳**. 明媚的阳光可以帮助促进5-羟色胺的大量合成，并且可以改善褪黑激素的释放，从而使你有一个好的睡眠（见第7章）。如果你是一个只愿意宅在家里的人，那么尝试每天正午的时候出去走几分钟，随便散散步、听听音乐，哪怕就是简单地晒晒太阳也好。

**Think of happy memories**. Happy memories boost serotonin in the anterior cingulate (chapter 8). Try to think of one happy memory before you go to sleep—write it in a journal or just reflect on it.

**回忆美好时光**.　幸福美好的回忆可以激发前扣带回内5-羟色胺的大量释放（见第8章）。大家可以尝试每天睡前回想一段快乐的回忆，可以把它在日记中写下来，或者就是简单地回想一下也可以。

## Chapter 2

**Make a decision**. Anxiety and worrying are provoked by possibility, not certainty. In fact, many people are less happy when they have more choices, because they have more to worry about. When everything is up in the air, the amygdala becomes more reactive. So if you tend to worry, reduce your options and make quick decisions whenever possible. As soon as you make a decision, however small, everything starts to feel more manageable—we’ll discuss this more in chapter 6.

**做出决定**. 焦虑和担忧是由不确定性而非确定性所引起的。事实上，当面对更多选择的时候，大部分人反而更不开心，因为他们会因此而产生更多烦恼。当所有的事情都处在悬而未决的状态时，杏仁核会变 得格外兴奋。所以当你有担忧的倾向时，要减少你的选项并且快速做出决定。因为一旦当你做出决定，无论这个决定多么微小，一切都会变得可控了。我们将在第6章继续讨论这一点。

**Pay attention to what you can control**. If the future were completely under our control—or at least predictable—there would be nothing to be anxious about. Feeling in control reduces anxiety, worrying, and even pain.7 These effects are mediated by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, so strengthening dorsolateral activity helps create an upward spiral.8 You can do this by simply paying more attention to what is in your control, which helps modulate your brain activity and quickly reduces anxiety.

**将注意力放在可控的事情上**. 如果未来完全在我们自己的控制之下（或者至少是可以预测的），那也就没有什么好焦虑的了。感觉事物处在掌控之中可以减轻焦虑、担忧甚至疼痛。7这些效果是由背外侧前额 叶皮层所介导的，所以增强背外侧前额叶皮层的活性有助于建立积极的正向循环。8你只需通过将注意力更多地放在你所能够掌控的事物之上来实现这一点，因为这能够帮助调节大脑的活动性，并且很快减轻焦 虑。

**Take a deep breath**. Taking a slow, deep breath—inhaling and then exhaling slowly—actually calms down the sympathetic nervous system and reduces stress (as discussed in more depth in chapter 9).

**深呼吸**. 做一次缓慢的深呼吸（慢慢地吸气和呼气），实际上能够使得交感神经系统平静下来，并且可以减轻压力（我们将在第9章中深入讨论）。

**Go for good enough**. Worrying is often triggered by wanting to make the perfect choice or by trying to maximize everything. When buying a used car, you want one that is cheap, reliable, safe, sexy, the right color, and fuel efficient. Unfortunately, no single option is likely to be the best in all those dimensions. If you try to have the best of everything, you’re likely to be paralyzed by indecision or dissatisfied with your choice. In fact, this kind of “maximizing” has been proven to increase depression.9 So don’t try to make the most amazing dinner; start out by just making a good dinner. Don’t try to be the perfect parent; just be a good one. Don’t try to be your happiest; just be happy.

**追求够好了即可**. 担忧通常是由于想要做出完美的选择或者将所有事都做到极致。就像买二手车，你肯定期待能够买一辆便宜、信得过、安全、酷炫、颜色亮丽而且又省油的好车。然而遗憾的是，所有这些考虑因素中没有任何一项会是最好的。如果希望任何事都达到完美，那你将会陷入无法做出抉择或者永远无法满意的状态。事实上，这种追求极度完美的心态被证实会增加抑郁的风险。9所以，千万不要尝试去做最令人难忘的晚餐，想着做一顿可口的晚餐就可以了。也不要尝试去做最完美的父母，做一个合格的父母亲就够了。不要追求最开心的状态，只要开心就好。

**Avoid catastrophizing**. Anxiety is exacerbated by envisioning the worst possible scenario—a process known as “catastrophizing” (for example, your friend doesn’t call back immediately, so you conclude he or she doesn’t like you anymore). It usually starts with a perfectly reasonable worry, and then, through an incorrect assumption, it snowballs out of control. Well, you can’t control noticing the “alarm” in the first place, but you can reduce its negative impact. First, remind yourself of the more likely (and better) outcomes (“Maybe my friend is busy right now”). Second, whether or not the worst-case scenario is actually likely, make a plan to deal with it (for example, “If my friend doesn’t call me back in three days, I’ll just call again,” or even “If my friend doesn’t like me anymore, then I’ll hang out with another friend”). Planning your response to stressful situations can increase prefrontal norepinephrine, and calm the limbic system, helping you feel more in control.

**避免问题灾难化**.　当人们在设想可能出现的最坏情景时，焦虑会进一步恶化，这一过程也被称为“灾难化”（比如，当你的朋友没有及时给你回电时，你会认为他可能不再喜欢你了）。通常这种情况都会基于一个相当合理的担忧，然后通过一个错误的假设，最后像滚雪球一样失去控制。当然，你也许没法第一时间就让自己注意到警报的出现，但你仍然可以通过一些措施来降低随后的负面影响。首先，提醒自己不要忘记其他更有可能的原因（比如，也许我的朋友这会儿正在忙呢）。然后，不论最坏的情形最终发生的可能性有多大，制订出应对它的计划（比如，如果我的朋友三天内不给我回电，我会再打一个电话试试；或 者，如果那个朋友真的不再喜欢我了，我就和其他朋友一起出去玩）。在压力情景下提前计划好应对措 施，能够增加前额叶皮层的去甲肾上腺素水平，然后让边缘系统冷静下来，从而帮助我们感觉到更多的控 制感。

(这边 catastrophizing 中文版翻译成灾难化, 可能翻译成 "小题大做" 更合适)

**Stay in the now**. Pay attention to the things that are happening now, and don’t pay attention to the things that aren’t happening now. Focusing on the present helps reduce anxiety and worry, because it decreases emotional, self-focused processing in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Attention to the present also increases dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal activity, allowing these regions to calm the amygdala. Improving your ability to stay present, a practice known as “mindfulness,” helps enhance these activations and leads to long-term improvements in anxiety and worrying.

**活在当下**.　我们应当把注意力放在当前正在发生的事上，而不是放在尚未发生的事上。关注于当前有助于减轻焦虑和担忧，因为这能够减少腹内侧前额叶皮层中情绪化地聚焦于自我的活动过程。关注于当前的状态，还可以增强背外侧以及腹外侧前额叶皮层的活动，从而让这些脑区能够起到镇静杏仁核的作用。 强化自己关注当前状态的能力，可以通过练习专注或正念（mindfulness）来实现，这会有助于增强以上脑 区的活动，从而实现对焦虑和担忧状态的长时程改善

## Chapter 3

**Notice what you notice**. You can’t control the random bits of information that pop into your head. But you can start to notice your biases. When you get annoyed that you’re stuck at a red light think, Oh, that’s interesting. I noticed this red light, but I didn’t notice the last green light I made.

In short, try practicing *nonjudgmental awareness*. Nonjudgmental awareness is a form of mindfulness that simply means noticing without reacting emotionally, even when things don’t turn out as you expected. Awareness does not require emotion, because emotion and awareness are mediated by different brain regions. Noticing a mistake might automatically trigger the emotional amygdala, but becoming aware of your own reaction activates the prefrontal cortex, which calms the amygdala.

**注意到你所注意的**.　我们没法控制进入大脑的随机信息，但是我们可以试着去留意我们的偏向性。当你因为开车遇到红灯而感到生气的时候，你可以想：哦，真是太有意思了，我注意到眼前的这个红灯，为什么没有注意到刚刚路过的那个绿灯呢？

简单点儿说就是，尝试着去练习无判断意识。无判断意识是一种正念的形式，是指不要带有情绪反应地去注意某件事物，即使这件事的结果并非是自己所期望的那样。意识或认识并不一定需要情绪，因为意识和情绪是由不同的脑区所介导的。发现错误会自动激活杏仁核，但是意识到自己所产生的反应，则能够激活前额叶皮层，而它会起到冷静杏仁核的作用。

**Lower amygdala reactivity with a hug**. A hug, especially a long one, releases a neurotransmitter and hormone called oxytocin, which reduces the reactivity of the amygdala (chapter 11).

**拥抱可以减轻杏仁核的反应**.　拥抱，特别是长久的拥抱，可以使大脑释放出被称为催产素（oxytocin）的神经递质和激素，而它可以减弱杏仁核脑区的反应性（见第11章）。

**How to increase norepinephrine**. Surprisingly simple things can help increase norepinephrine—and thus decrease the negative bias—such as exercise, a good night’s sleep, and even getting a massage. We’ll discuss these in more detail later in the book (chapters 5, 7, and 11, respectively).

**如何提高去甲肾上腺素的水平**.　令人惊奇的是，一些很简单的事情就能起到提升去甲肾上腺素水平，继而降低消极偏向性的作用，比如锻炼身体、一整晚高质量的睡眠，甚至享受一次按摩也可以。我们将在后文中对它们进行详细讨论（分别在第5章、第7章和第11章）。

## Chapter 4

**Figure out your triggers**. It is much easier to avoid temptation than to resist it. If you know what triggers a particular habit, sometimes you can get rid of that habit simply by removing that trigger from your life. For example, Billi realized he was watching too much television, and the trigger was seeing the television set itself. So he moved it out of his bedroom, and now he doesn’t have a problem watching too much television. As another example, if you don’t want to buy cookies, don’t walk down the cookie aisle at the supermarket. Seeing all those delicious baked goods will release dopamine and push you toward buying them.

**解决掉你的触发点**.　避免诱惑要比抵御诱惑容易得多。如果你知道是什么东西使你形成了某种特定的习惯，那么就可以通过在生活中避免这些诱因，从而摆脱这类不好的习惯。比如，就像我的朋友比利，他知道自己每天花太多的时间看电视，而形成这一习惯的诱因就是他每次看到电视机放在那里就想打开看看。于是他干脆把电视搬出了自己的卧室，现在他再也不存在看太多电视的问题了。再举一个例子，如果你不想买曲奇饼，那么就不要在逛超市的时候走到曲奇饼货架的附近。因为一旦看到这些美味的烘焙食品，将会引起多巴胺的释放，从而最终让你忍不住把它们买下来。

**Take a deep breath**. When you start to feel antsy or compelled to act on a bad habit, take a deep breath. Let it out slowly, then take another deep breath. Repeat as necessary. As we’ll discuss more in chapter 9, long, slow breathing calms the brain’s stress response.

**深呼吸**.　感觉到自己烦躁不安或者控制不住要做出某些不好的习惯行为时，深呼吸让自己平静下来吧。慢慢地吸一口气，然后再慢慢呼出来，有必要的话，继续多做几次。就像我们将在第9章中讲述的一样，缓慢的深呼吸有助于平缓大脑的压力反应。

# PART 2: CREATING AN UPWARD SPIRAL

## Chapter 5

**Have fun (a.k.a. don’t “exercise”)**. When you don’t think of it as “exercise” but rather as “being active” or “having fun,” you’re more likely to do it, and it will have a bigger emotional benefit. If you bike to work three days a week or play Frisbee with friends in the park, it won’t feel like you’re exercising, but it’ll add up to a lot of activity.

**享受快乐（不要单纯的“锻炼”）**.　当你不把锻炼单纯地认为是“锻炼”，而只是让自己活跃起来，或者是开心玩耍的话，那么你会更愿意动起来。而且这将带来更多的情绪改善的好处。如果每周花三天时间骑车去上班或者去公园里和朋友一起玩玩飞盘，你可能不觉得自己是在锻炼身体，但事实上它们仍然能够为身体增加很多活力。

**Do it with someone else**. Not only is social interaction good for depression (chapter 11), but social pressure will also help you exercise. So ask a friend what type of activity he or she wants to get into, and join in. You could hire a trainer, attend a class, or join an exercise group. Having an accountability partner makes it more likely you’ll show up.

**和他人一起运动**.　因为社交互动不仅对抑郁是有益的（见第11章），而且社交的压力也有助于促进我们锻炼。问问你的朋友喜欢并且想和你一起参与哪种活动。然后你们可以雇一个教练，一起参加课程或者加入一个训练小组。和一个有责任心的同伴一起锻炼，会极大地促进自己的参与感。

**Commit to a brief trial period**. Sign up for an exercise class and commit to going to the first three. Check online sites like Groupon or LivingSocial for a monthlong trial to your local yoga or Pilates studio at a discounted rate. Join a gym and promise yourself that for the first two weeks you’ll go every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Even if you’re feeling too tired to do any actual exercise, still go to the gym, park your car, walk in, change into workout clothes, and pick up one five-pound weight. If you’re really so tired that you don’t want to do anything else there, that’s totally fine. You’ve fulfilled your obligation to yourself (and to me), and you can go home and waste time on the Internet.

**坚持锻炼一段时间**.　报名参加一个健身课程，而且一定保证要去参加前三节课程。在团购网站上找找当地的瑜伽或者普拉提健身房有没有那种一个月时长的健身折扣活动。然后参加一个健身课，而且保证自己在前两周的每个周一、周三和周五都必须去上课。即使你感觉太累了、一点儿都不想活动，仍然要坚持去，停好车，走进健身房，换好健身服，拿起2千克的杠铃开始练就是了。如果你真的累到实在不想做任何的活动，也没关系。对你自己以及对我来说，你都已经完成了该完成的责任，你可以回家去继续在互联网上浪费时间了。

**Enjoy the view**. Exercising in pleasant environments, whether urban or rural—or while looking at images of pleasant environments—boosts the benefits of exercise.8 In fact, irrespective of exercise, being in nature or even just looking at views of trees or lakes can have a big impact on your mood and can reduce depressive symptoms.9 So try going for a run in a park, or pick a treadmill near a window.

**欣赏景色**.　在一个愉悦的环境中进行锻炼，不管是在郊外或者是市区，或者哪怕只是对着一幅美景的图片都会激发出锻炼的好处来。8实际上，不考虑锻炼的话，即使只是身处自然环境或者是仅仅看到森林和湖泊的美景，都会对你的情绪产生很大的影响，而且能够减轻抑郁的症状。9所以尝试着在公园里跑步，或者在靠近窗户、有不错视野的跑步机上锻炼吧。

**Think about what’s important to you**. When you connect your exercise to a long-term goal, it helps your brain overlook momentary discomfort and makes your exercise more satisfying (chapter 6). In my case, I reminded myself that being in better shape made playing sports more fun. Maybe you’ll do it for your kids. Maybe you’ll do it because you value hard work. Only you know what’s most important to you.

**想想什么才是对自己重要的**.　我们将锻炼与一个长期的目标相联系的时候，会有助于让我们的大脑忽略掉一些短暂的不适，从而让锻炼本身变成一件更加享受的事（见第6章）。对我自己来说，通过提醒自己我想要拥有更好的身材，会让运动变得更有乐趣。也许你锻炼是为了自己的孩子，也许是因为你重视勤奋和坚持，只有你自己才知道什么对自己来说才是最重要的。

**Exercise before you reward yourself**. Let’s face it: you’re going to watch television. You’re going to eat ice cream. You’re going to waste time on Facebook. No big deal. But the next time you do, make it a reward for something. Exercise beforehand. Walk up and down the stairs twice. Do ten sit-ups. Jog around the block. You were going to have the reward anyway, so just insert a little activity into your inactivity. And when you feel that you earned that television show or that ice cream, it’s even more enjoyable.

**在奖励自己前先进行锻炼**　让我们来看看现实情况吧：也许你想去看电视，也许你想吃冰激凌，也许你想在社交网站上浪费时间，这些都没有关系，但是下次在你想做这些事前，试着让它们变成某种活动的奖励，在奖励之前先开始锻炼。比如在楼梯上来回上下两次，做十个蹲起动作，或者在家附近的街区进行慢跑，都可以。反正你总归是要得到这些享受的，为何不在这些享受之前增加一点小活动呢。而且当你觉得看电视节目和吃冰激凌是自己锻炼之后所获得的奖励时，那种感觉会更加享受。

**Keep an exercise plan**. Add exercise on your to-do list or calendar and check it off when you complete it. Planning activates the prefrontal cortex, and checking it off the list releases dopamine. Win-win.

**保持锻炼计划**　将锻炼的计划加进自己的任务清单和日程表，在自己完成的时候进行核对。制订计划会激活前额叶皮层，而核对清单上的任务是否完成则会促使多巴胺释放。这是一个双赢的过程。

**Make it simple**. It’s much easier to convince yourself to do simple, easy activities. Try starting with one push-up after you check your email in the morning. If you start feeling better and want to do more, go for it. But if all you ever do is one push-up, that’s better than nothing.

**从简单的做起**　迫使自己从简单容易的事开始做起要轻松得多。试着在每天早上收完邮件后做一个俯卧撑。如果你觉得还不错而且想要尝试更多，那么就继续下去。不过如果你总是只能做一个的话，那也比什么都不做要强。

**Sitting is the new smoking**. In other words, it’s bad for you. If you sit at a computer all day (like me), get up and walk around at least once every hour. And every twenty minutes, briefly stretch your hands, arms, and back. Try working at a standing desk or replace your chair with an exercise ball. Walk while you’re on the phone.

**久坐相当于吸烟**　换句话说，经常坐着其实是有害的。如果你在电脑前坐一整天（像我一样），那么每隔一个小时都应该起来走动走动。而且每隔20分钟就应该简单地伸展一下手臂和后背。也可以试着站着办公或者将工作的凳子换成锻炼球。平时打电话的时候也可以多走动。

**Make an anti-laziness rule**. Decide ahead of time that you’ll take the stairs for anything less than three floors. Decide that you’ll walk to do any errand that is less than a mile away or bike to any that are less than two miles away. Commit to never taking an escalator if the stairs are right next to it. Don’t circle the parking lot looking for a closer space, just take the first one you see.

**制订对抗懒惰的规则**　与自己提前做好以下约定：只要有可能就一定要走楼梯，而且至少要走三层楼。同时对于1.5千米以内需要跑腿的事情统统走路去办，3千米以内的事情则骑车去完成。与自己约定好，当自动扶梯旁有楼梯的时候就坚决不坐自动扶梯。不要在停车场里转来转去找更近的空位，就选自己看到的第一个空位。

## Chapter 6

**Make a good decision**, not the best decision. When trying to make a decision, we tend to focus on the relative drawbacks of each option, which often makes every decision seem less appealing.1 Nor do we usually have enough information to feel confident in the decision—the world’s just too complex. But remember, it’s better to do something only partly right than do nothing at all. Trying for the best, instead of good enough, brings too much emotional ventromedial prefrontal activity into the decision-making process.2 In contrast, recognizing that good enough is good enough activates more dorsolateral prefrontal areas, which helps you feel more in control.

**做好的而不是最好的决定**　当想要做出决定的时候，我们总是会倾向于关注每个选项的不利条件，这常常会让决策变得不再那么有吸引力。1即使我们常常掌握了足够多的信息，但是也很难在做决定的时候变得有信心，因为世界就是这么复杂多变。但是大家要记住，去做一些不那么完美的事也要比什么都不做要好。总是追求完美而不是刚刚就好，会在决策的过程中引起腹内侧前额叶皮层中过多的情绪反应活性。2与此相反，认为足够好则会激活更多的背外侧前额叶皮层区域，这会让你感觉到更多的控制感。

**Take a step in the right direction**. Confucius said that “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and this is certainly true with the brain. You start by making a decision in your head, but the decision-making process isn’t complete until you take a step in that direction. Conversely, a trip to the supermarket or finishing that report for work might feel like a thousand-mile journey, but all you have to do is take one tiny step in the direction of that goal. Write down one thing you want at the supermarket, or start by looking for your car keys. A decision without action is just a thought, and while thoughts can be helpful, they won’t have as powerful an impact on your brain. A decision with action is something else entirely: it’s a robust way to start an upward spiral.

**在正确的方向上迈出第一步**　荀子曾经说：“不积跬步，无以至千里。”对于大脑来说也是这样。也许你在头脑中已经做好了自己的决定，但是如果不按照计划和既定方向迈出下一步的话，那么决策的过程将不能算完全完成。相反，去超市买东西或者完成自己的工作报告可能就像一段非常困难的旅程，但是你需要做的其实就是在实现目标的方向上迈出很小的第一步。将自己想要在超市里买的某件东西写下来，或者从找自己的车钥匙开始。没有行动的决策永远只能停留在想法层面，而且尽管想法也是有用的，但是它们并不足够影响你的大脑。而一个被执行的决策就完全不同了，它是开启一个正向循环的最有效方式。

**Figure out what’s important to you**. To help reduce irrelevant details in your life, focus on what’s really important to you. Studies have found that focusing on your values reduces the brain’s stress response.5 So think about the times in your life when you were happiest. What were you doing then, and what factors contributed to your happiness? What activities make you feel most fulfilled? What achievements are you most proud of? What good qualities would you want coworkers or friends to use in describing you?

**找到对自己来说重要的东西**　为了能够减少生活中太多不相关的细节，你应该更多地关注对你真正有用的事情。很多研究表明：关注于自己价值观所在的地方会有助于减轻大脑的应激反应。5所以想想那些生活中曾经最快乐的时光吧，当时自己在做什么？而且有哪些因素促成了自己的快乐？哪些活动会让自己感觉到最满足？哪些成就是最让自己感到骄傲的？你最希望自己的同事或者朋友在形容你的时候，会指出你的哪些优点？

**Decide for something you want, not against something you don’t want**. Focusing on potential negative outcomes makes decision making more difficult.8 Actively choosing a particular goal you want to pursue—rather than basing your decision on avoiding something you don’t want—forces you to focus on the positive, at least briefly. For example, instead of “I don’t want to do a bad job,” say, “I want to do a great job.” This type of positive thinking is more effective at changing your behavior.

**为自己想要的事做决定，但不要反对自己不希望的事**　如果将注意力集中在潜在的负面结果上，会让决策变得更加困难。8积极主动地去选择一个自己想要追求的特定目标，而不要将制定决策建立在避免自己不希望发生的事上，一定要让自己至少有一段时间关注于积极的方面。比如，不要对自己说“我不想要一份糟糕的工作”，而要告诉自己“我要做一份很棒的工作”。这种积极的想法会更有效地影响我们的行为。

**Create specific long-term goals**. Start by thinking about your values and what’s important to you. Write down at least one or two specific goals that you could achieve that align with what’s important to you. A specific goal has a clearly defined benchmark of success, so at some point in the future you will know definitively whether or not you have achieved it. Do the goals on your list inspire or motivate you? If not, think harder about some different goals.

If you have found some specific, meaningful goals, do you believe you can achieve any of them? If not, break them down into smaller goals that you believe may be achievable. For example, if the goal of finding a job seems too daunting, try setting a smaller goal of sending out two resumes a week, or spending ten minutes every day look for a job online.

**确立特定的长期目标**　先想想自己的价值观，以及什么东西对自己才是重要的。至少写下一到两个自己能够实现而且对自己很重要的特定目标。对于特定的目标，必须要有非常明确的成功的标准，这样在今后你才能清楚地知道自己是否实现了它。那些在清单上列出来的目标是否能够鼓舞自己和激励自己呢？如果不能的话，就再认真地想一些不同的目标出来。

假如你已经有了一些特定的有意义的目标，你会相信自己一定可以实现它们吗？如果不能的话，试着将它们分成更小的、自己认为能够实现的目标吧。比如，如果你认为找到一份工作的目标看起来过于困难的话，那么可以试着设定一些更小的目标，比如每周发出两份简历或者每天花10分钟在网上找工作。

## Chapter 7

**Avoid bright lights after the sun goes down**. You don’t need to walk around in the dark, but when it’s getting close to bedtime, turn off most of the lights in your house. Turn down the brightness on your computer monitor or, better yet, don’t stare at a screen at all. And make sure your bedroom is really dark when you’re trying to sleep. If you’ve got several electronic devices in your bedroom that have LED lights, they can make enough light to disrupt your sleep. Move them to another room or cover the LEDs.

**在太阳落山后要避免接触强光**　当然，你并不需要因此就完全在黑暗中活动，但是在临近睡觉时，还是把房间里大部分的灯都关掉吧。把电脑显示器的亮度调暗一些，或者最好不要再看任何亮着的屏幕。准备睡觉的时候，保证你的卧室最好是完全黑暗的状态。如果你的卧室里有一些带有LED灯泡的电器的话，它们所产生的灯光将足以干扰你的睡眠，所以最好把它们挪到其他房间或者把LED灯盖起来。

**Write down your worries**. As we’ve discussed, worrying disrupts sleep because it activates the prefrontal cortex—and so does planning. If you’re worrying or planning while trying to fall asleep, write down your thoughts. Get them out of your head and onto a piece of paper and be done with it.

**将自己的忧虑写下来**　我们前边已经提到，担忧会扰乱睡眠，因为它会激活前额叶皮层，而制订规划也会扰乱睡眠。如果你在准备睡觉的时候出现担忧和制订规划的心理活动，那么请将这些想法写下来。将这些想法从你的脑袋里移到纸上，然后尽快结束这些想法。

**Make your environment comfortable**. Quality sleep requires calming the brain, while being uncomfortable activates the brain’s stress response. If your bedroom is too cold or hot, too bright, noisy, or even smelly, your sleep could be disrupted without your conscious awareness. So do something about it. If there’s noise you can’t get rid of, add a white-noise maker like a fan, because that’s less distracting to the brain.

**让环境更加舒适**　高质量的睡眠需要大脑能够处于平静的状态，不舒服的感觉却会激活大脑的应激反应。如果你的卧室太热或太冷、太亮、太吵，甚至气味太重，都会让你的睡眠在无意识中被扰乱。所以做点儿什么让睡眠环境好一些吧。如果有些噪声是无法摆脱的，那么可以尝试加一些白噪声进去，比如电风扇运转的声音，因为大脑对这种白噪声的反应更弱，从而可以避免被过多地干扰。

**Brighten your day**. Bright lights during the day help synchronize your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep. So take a few minutes to go walking in the sunshine. This has the added benefit of boosting your serotonin18 and reducing pain.19 One study looked at patients recovering from spinal surgery in the hospital. Patients who were on the sunny side of the hospital had less stress and needed less pain medication. If you can’t be near a window or go outside, at least try to work in a brightly lit environment while the sun is shining.

**让白天尽可能明亮一些**　白天明亮的光线有助于同步化你的昼夜节律，并且改善你的睡眠。所以花几分钟时间出去在阳光下走走吧。而且享受阳光同时还会促进5-羟色胺释放，18并且能够减轻疼痛。19有研究曾经对经历过脊髓手术的病人在医院中的康复过程进行了观察，结果表明，那些住在阳面病房的病人表现出更小的心理压力，而且他们对止痛药的需求也更少。所以如果你没法在窗户边或者不能到外边去感受阳光，那么在外边阳光明媚的时候，至少保证自己能够在一个有明亮灯光的环境中工作吧。

## Chapter 8

**Self-affirmation**. Before thinking about which habits you’d like to change, answer this list of questions with a yes or a no. If you answer yes to any questions, please elaborate.

1. Have you ever forgiven another person when he or she has hurt you?

2. Have you ever been considerate of another person’s feelings?

3. Have you ever given money or items to someone less fortunate than you?

4. Have you ever tried to cheer someone up who had had a bad day?

5. Have you ever encouraged a friend to pursue a goal?

These studies show that thinking about your positive qualities makes it easier to change your habits.

**自我肯定**　在考虑应该对自己的哪些习惯做出改变前，请先对以下问题进行是或不是的回答。如果答案是肯定的，那么再进行更加详细的描述。

1.你是否原谅过曾经伤害你的人？

2.你是否周到地考虑过他人的感受？

3.你是否对没有你富有的人施与过钱或物？

4.你是否尝试过在某人低落的时候鼓励他振作起来？

5.你是否曾鼓励过朋友去追求某一目标？

这些研究表明，当回想自己的积极品质时，会使改变自己的习惯更加容易。

**Resolve to change**. Making a resolution to change is more effective than simply wanting to change, and dramatically increases your chance of success. Being specific in what you want to change helps make it more achievable. For example, “I resolve to work out more” is not as effective as “I resolve to go to the gym before work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

**决心去改变**　下定决心做出改变比仅仅想做出改变要更加有效，而且能够非常显著地提高成功的可能性。将想要做出改变的东西具体化也会使得改变更有可能实现。比如，“我决心更多地进行锻炼”就没有“我决心要在每周二和周四工作之前去健身房锻炼”的想法有效果。

**Remember the good times**. Maybe you can remember a special birthday from childhood or a fun trip or even something as simple as a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Try to visualize it in detail or, better yet, write it down for future reference. If you’re having difficulty, talk to an old friend, look at photographs, or read your diary from happier times. Repeat as necessary.

Excerpt From: Alex Korb. “The Upward Spiral.” Apple Books.

**回忆快乐的时光**　也许你可以记起儿时某个难忘的生日，或者是一次畅快的旅游，或者哪怕是周六下午出现的快乐心情。试着让这些回忆更加详细和具体一些，或者最好把它们都记录下来作为以后的参考。如果你觉得有些困难的话，可以和自己的老朋友一起聊聊，看一看照片，或者重新读一下关于过去快乐时光的日记，有必要的话，可以多试几次。

**Think about how your life would improve**. How would your life be better if your bad habit was gone? In a study on alcoholics, subjects were asked to use this type of thinking while looking at pictures of alcohol. Focusing on how life would be better reduced activity in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens.14 Reducing alcohol-related routines and impulses prepared them to change their drinking habits.

**考虑怎样去改善自己的生活**　如果你的坏习惯都不在了，你的生活会过得更好吗？在一项针对酗酒者的研究中，被试者被要求在看着各种酒的图片时也思考这一问题。将心思集中在思考生活怎样才会变好这一问题上时，能够减少背侧纹状体以及伏隔核脑区中的活性。14减少同饮酒相关的例行行为和冲动行为能够让酗酒者为改变酗酒行为做好准备。

## Chapter 9

**Try yoga**. Yoga utilizes almost every suggestion in this chapter, including stretching, breathing, relaxation, and posture changes, and it can, in fact, help treat depression. Yoga poses that incorporate back bends and opening the chest do a particularly good job at increasing positive emotions.

**尝试练习瑜伽**　瑜伽这项运动几乎会运用到我们在这一章节中提到的所有好的建议，包括对身体的拉伸、呼吸、放松，以及改变姿势。而且事实上它的确有助于治疗抑郁症。瑜伽的姿势包括很多背部的弯曲及打开胸腔的动作，这些动作非常有助于积极情绪的形成。

**Are you hungry or stressed?** Unfortunately, emotional sensations are not very precise, and your brain often misinterprets them. For example, your brain receives a signal that something is happening in your stomach. It may interpret it as hunger, but in fact, it might just be that you’re stressed, or vice versa. These types of signals are like your car’s check-engine light—alerting you that something is happening, but not being very helpful in telling you what. Calmly doing a self-assessment of your feelings can help distinguish the signals.

**你是饥饿还是压力太大**　可惜的是，情绪感受并不是一个非常精准的过程，而且你的大脑也会经常出现对它们的误判。比如，当大脑接收到信号表明你的胃里可能有情况的时候，它可能会认为你是饿了，但事实上很可能只是你压力太大造成的，反之也是一样。这种类型的信号有点儿像你车里的引擎检查灯，它亮的时候是提醒你引擎可能出问题了，但是却并不能准确地告诉你究竟出了什么问题。所以冷静地做一个自我感觉的评估会有助于让你区分这些信号。

**A splash of cold water**. Sudden cold water on your face slows down your heart rate by indirectly stimulating the vagus nerve. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious, find a sink, fill your hands with cold water, and splash it on your face.

**用凉水洗脸**　突然用冷水洗脸的时候，会通过间接的刺激迷走神经让你的心率降下来。如果你觉得快要崩溃、压力太大，或者是太过焦虑的时候，找一个脸盆，将自己的双手放进冷水里，然后用冷水给自己洗个脸会好一些。

**Use the power of music**. Whether playing an instrument or listening to the radio, music increases heart-rate variability, though making music has a stronger effect. Music engages most of the limbic system, including the hippocampus, anterior cingulate, and nucleus accumbens, which is why it can be motivating and enjoyable and can help regulate your emotions. It can also be soothing, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress. So sing along with the radio or just make a playlist of your favorite songs. Better yet, go dancing. Dancing combines music, exercise, and being social, so you get a triple boost to an upward spiral.

**借助音乐的力量**　不管是在演奏乐器或者是听收音机时，音乐都会增加我们的心率可变性，不过在创作音乐时，这种效果要更加显著。欣赏音乐时会涉及边缘系统的大部分脑区，包括海马、前扣带回及伏隔核，所以音乐总是能够调动起我们的积极性，也让我们觉得享受，从而帮助调节我们的情绪。音乐同时还会起到镇静、降低血压以及减轻压力的作用。所以跟着广播轻轻地唱一会儿歌，或者听一些自己喜欢的歌曲，都很不错。最好还能跟着音乐一起跳舞。跳舞同时组合了音乐、锻炼以及社交的功能，你能够因此而得到对于正向循环的三重促进。

**Smile**. It’s simple and improves your mood; you don’t even need a pencil. Don’t do it for others or in the mirror. Just relax the tension in your face and let the corners of your mouth drift up. The complex and amazing process of biofeedback will jump into action.

**微笑**　微笑很简单而且可以改善你的心情。你甚至并不需要一支铅笔就可以做出微笑。但是不要刻意对着别人或者镜子做。试着让你脸部的肌肉放松下来，然后让嘴角微微上扬。之后，复杂而又神奇的生物反馈过程就会自动开启了。

**Laugh**. If you want to get the biggest facial feedback benefit, laugh. Even if nothing is funny, just open your mouth and let out a “ha-ha-ha.” The brain doesn’t distinguish much between genuine laughter and fake laughter,9 and fake laughing can often lead to laughing at yourself for real.

**大笑**　如果你想获得最强的面部表情反馈效果，那么试着大笑吧。就算当下并没有什么有趣的事，也请试着张开嘴巴发出“哈哈哈”的声音。我们的大脑并不会很好地分辨出真正的笑和有意做出的假笑，而且假笑真的会引起自己发笑。

**Wear sunglasses**. On bright days, we often contract our corrugator supercilii while squinting to reduce glare from the sun. So while it might be a beautiful day, you’re sending signals to your brain that you’re slightly upset. Sunglasses reduce glare so you don’t have to squint. So they not only make you look cool, but also, thanks to facial feedback, they help you feel calmer.

**戴太阳镜**　在阳光明媚的时候，我们常常会收缩皱眉肌让眼睛眯起来，来避免受到阳光直射。所以有可能本来是一个非常美好的天气，但是你的表情传递给大脑的信号却是你有点儿不开心。太阳镜有助于减少阳光对眼睛的照射，从而使得你不需要去皱眉。所以它不光让你觉得更加凉快，同时由于面部表情的反馈机制，也会让你的情绪更加平静。

**Relax your jaw**. Often, when stressed, we inadvertently clench our teeth, which increases overall tension. So let your jaw hang loose, wiggle it around, and then open wide. This may make you yawn, which will also increase your calmness.

**放松下颌**　通常当我们感觉到压力的时候，会不自觉地咬紧我们的牙关，这会增加整个面部的肌肉张力。所以试着让你的下颌放松一点，左右动一动它，然后张张嘴。可能这个动作会导致你打哈欠，不过这也会让自己更加平静一些。

**Take a deep breath**. When anxious or overwhelmed, slow breathing can help. Breathe in slowly through your nose while counting slowly to six (or even eight). Pause for a couple seconds at the top of your inhalation and then exhale slowly through your nose for the same count.

**深呼吸**　当觉得自己过于焦虑或者情绪快要崩溃的时候，放慢呼吸的速度会有所帮助。一边缓慢地从1数到6（或者7、8），一边用自己的鼻子慢慢地呼吸。在吸不进气以后稍微停顿几秒，然后再数相同的数字并慢慢地把气呼出去。

**Breathe faster for energy**. Sometimes you feel that you need more energy. Try quick, shallow breaths for twenty to thirty seconds. Don’t do it for too long, however, or you may start to feel light-headed.

**快速呼吸获得能量**　有时你会觉得自己需要更多的能量。这时可以尝试着做20～30秒快速的浅呼吸。不要做太长时间，要不然你可能会觉得头有点儿晕。

**Clench and relax**. To remind your brain to relax your muscles, sometimes it’s helpful to clench them first. Take a deep breath in and then flex a tight muscle for a few seconds. After holding for a few seconds, exhale with a sigh and relax. The most important muscles to relax are your facial muscles, since those have the largest effect on emotion, but relaxing your hands, butt, and stomach are also important.

**握紧然后放松**　为了提醒大脑让肌肉放松，有的时候先让它们收缩一下会更有帮助。做一次深呼吸，然后让肌肉保持在紧张状态几秒钟，在维持几秒钟以后，轻轻呼气然后让肌肉放松下来。最需要放松的肌肉就是你的面部肌肉，因为它们对你的情绪有着最大的影响，但是放松自己的手臂、臀部以及胃部同样也很重要。

## Chapter 10

**Write a detailed thank-you letter**. Think of someone who has been especially kind to you—a friend, a teacher, a coworker—whom you’ve never properly thanked. Write a letter thanking this person, being specific about what he or she did that affected your life. Then schedule a meeting, maybe over coffee or a drink, and deliver the letter in person. Don’t tell the person what the meeting is about; let it be a surprise. This form of gratitude can have a long-lasting effect. One study showed that after writing and delivering a thank-you letter, people had increased levels of happiness even two months later.

**写一封详细的感谢信**　回想一下是否有人曾经对你特别友好（可能是你的朋友、你的老师，或者你的同事）而你从没有正式感谢过他。那么写一封感谢信给这个人吧，详细地写下他做了什么从而影响了你的生活。然后安排一次见面，可以一起喝咖啡或者吃顿饭，然后把信当面交给他。先不要告诉他为什么要和他见面，争取让这成为一个惊喜。这种形式的感激会有非常持久的效果。一项研究表明，在写完感谢信并且将它递送出去以后，这些人的幸福感提升甚至会持续两个月以上。

**Ask for help**. Sometimes when you’re feeling crappy, it’s hard to focus on—or even remember—happier times. If you’re having difficulty remembering happy events, talk to an old friend, look at photographs, or read older entries from your diary. This is another reason to keep a gratitude journal; it’s something to look back on when things get tough.

**寻求帮助**　有时当你觉得自己毫无价值时，会很难集中精力，甚至很难回想起曾经的快乐时光。如果你在回想过去的快乐记忆方面有困难的话，可以同老朋友交谈，看看过去的照片，或者读一读曾经的日记。所以这也是为什么要让大家保持记录感激日记的原因。这样在遇到不顺心或者棘手的事时，可以有东西帮自己回忆。

**Keep a gratitude journal**. Take a few minutes every day to write down three things you’re grateful for. To make it a better habit, try doing it at the same time every day. If you can’t think of three things, just write one. If you can’t think of even one thing, just write, “I’m grateful for the food I ate today” or “I’m grateful for the clothes I’m wearing.” Even if a situation is 90 percent what you don’t want, you can still be grateful for the other 10 percent.

**保持记感激日记的习惯**　尝试每天花几分钟的时间记录下三件你觉得该感激的事。为了让这项行为成为更好的习惯，试着每天在相同的时间进行记录。如果你想不出三件这样的事，那就只写一件。如果你连一件也想不出来，那么就随便写。比如，我要感谢今天吃到的食物，或者我要感谢今天所穿的衣服。即使一件事中有90%的部分是你不想要的，但是你也可以对剩下的10%表示感激。

**Be grateful when you wake up**. When you wake up in the morning, try to think of one thing you are looking forward to that day, even if it’s just breakfast.

**每天醒来时都要感激**　当你早上醒来时，试着去想一件今天所期待的事，哪怕它只是早餐。

**Take a deep breath**. A nice long one, through your nose. At the top of your breath, pause for a moment to think, “I am grateful for this breath,” then let it out slowly.

**做一次深呼吸**　用鼻子慢慢地做一次长时间的深呼吸。在吸气停止的时候，稍微停一会然后想：我要感谢这次呼吸。之后慢慢地呼出气来。

## Chapter 11

**Be around people**. Downward spirals are more likely when you’re alone. If you start to feel your mood sliding downhill, try going somewhere where there are other people around, like a library or coffee shop. You don’t need to interact with others; just being in the same physical space can help.

**让周围多一些人**　当你孤独的时候，下行旋涡会更有可能产生。如果你开始感觉到自己的情绪出现下滑，尝试到人多一点儿的地方去，比如图书馆或者咖啡馆。你不需要同其他人互动，只要同其他人待在同一个空间里也会有所帮助。

**Turn up the heat**. Feeling warm can boost oxytocin—or at least mimic its effects, increasing feelings of trust and generosity. So if you can’t get a hug, try wrapping yourself in a blanket and holding a mug of hot tea. Taking a warm shower can also help.

**调高温度**　感觉到温暖能够促进催产素的释放，或者说至少可以模拟它的作用，然后增强信任和宽容的感觉。所以当没法得到拥抱时，你可以尝试盖着毯子手捧一杯热茶来安抚自己。或者冲一个热水澡也会有用。

**Talk to people you care about**. That doesn’t mean stalk them on Facebook. Email them. Call them. Even better, go for a walk with them or meet for coffee—do something fun.

**与自己关心的人交谈**　这里并不是说利用社交网站或者邮件同他们交流。打电话给他们，或者能一起出去喝咖啡、见个面会更好——记得一起做一些有趣的事。

**Root for a sports team**. One of the most powerful ways to combat depression is a sense of belonging. Winning is fun, even if you’re just a spectator. Cheering for a winning sports team increases testosterone,41 which boosts energy and sex drive. A sports team also provides a community, so even after losses, you have the camaraderie—and there’s always the hope that your team will win next time.

**支持某个体育团队**　对抗抑郁的最有效的方式就是归属感。获胜的经历是非常有乐趣的，即使你只是一个观众。为某个体育团队的胜利而欢呼可以增加雄性激素的水平，41从而激发你的能量和性冲动。一个体育团队通常还会提供一种团体氛围，即使经历了失败，你仍然可以感受到团结一致的感情，而这会使大家相信自己的队伍下次一定会赢得比赛。

## Chapter 12

**Go see a professional**. Make an appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. They’ve undergone years of training to help people like you. Maybe you doubt that a professional will help; but like almost every other aspect of the upward spiral, while you can’t be certain that any solution will definitely work, you can be certain that if you don’t try, nothing is likely to change.

**咨询专业人士**　预约一位精神科医生、心理专家，或者是心理治疗师来寻求帮助。他们在帮助像你这种情况的人方面都有着很多年的经验。也许你会怀疑这些专业人士是否真的会有帮助，但是就像正向循环中的其他很多方面一样，当你不是很确定这些解决方案是否最终能够起效的时候，最好的方式就是一定不要放弃尝试，因为放弃的话是肯定不会有转机出现的。

**Do what you used to enjoy**. It can be stressful if you don’t enjoy hobbies or activities anymore, but you can overcome this with your own form of BAT. Make a list of things you used to enjoy (playing tennis, going to the movies with friends, and so on). Recognize that your lack of enjoyment is only a temporary situation and keep doing the things you used to enjoy, even if they don’t seem as fun.

**做自己曾经喜欢的事**　如果你不再喜欢自己曾经的爱好或者活动，是会让自己充满压力的。但是你可以利用针对自己的行为激活疗法来克服这一问题。将你曾经喜欢的活动做一个列表，比如打网球，和朋友看电影之类的，要认识到自己目前缺少乐趣只是一种暂时的状况，要一直坚持继续做自己曾经喜欢的活动，即使它们看上去不再那么有趣了。