Forget counting sheep -- Britons now prefer listening to lions roaring and monkeys calling to help them nod off, according to a new survey.
The poll, which questioned 2,000 adults about falling asleep at night, found that birds twittering and rainforest noises are the most soothing sounds for one in five people at bedtime, with fewer than one in 10 relying on counting sheep to send them into slumber.
"These noises can stop intrusive thoughts," John Shneerson, President of the British Sleep Society and consultant at Papworth Sleep Center in Britain.
"A repetitive noise has an occasionalrhythm change, works by distracting you. The sound can't be too boring but should not be so stimulating that you actively think about it -- it has to be something in the middle," Shneerson said.
While the relaxing properties of natural sound may not come as a surprise, noises generally considered to be irritating, such as passing traffic and ticking clocks can also be soporific, according to the survey.
The study was commissioned by Chessington World of Adventure Resort, the British theme park.
据路透社8月5日报道：一项新的调查发现，以前人们以为 "数羊"有助于入睡，而如今很多英国人都喜欢听着狮子的吼声和猴子的叫声入眠。
有2000名成年人就夜间入睡情况参与了这项问卷调查。调查发现，对于1/5的人来说，在睡觉时听到鸟的啼鸣声和雨林中的嘈杂声最让其感到放松，而只有不到1/10的人靠"数羊"入睡。
兼任英国睡眠协会会长和帕沃思睡眠中心顾问的约翰•肖森说："这些吵闹声可阻止人胡思乱想。"
"这种重复的、富有节奏变化的声音能分散人的注意力。这种声音不能太无聊，也不能太刺激，不然人们就会思索它，介于二者之间的就刚刚好。"肖森补充说。
调查表明，自然界的声音有助于人们放松，这并不奇怪，然而有些很讨厌的声音，例如交通噪音和滴答钟声，也可以催眠。
这项研究是由英国切辛顿冒险世界主题公园进行的。
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