什么时候我们最悲伤

　　春夏秋冬，晴天阴天，白昼黑夜，我们什么时候最悲伤？季节与天气对人们的情绪有影响吗？我们的喜怒哀乐有多少是受到光线、气候的影响？一年之中，有没有一天是我们最悲伤的时候？

　　Just exactly why weather affects us so severely, though, is still a matter of controversy. Some scientists say that the culprit is serotonin -- the chemical that makes us happy -- which controlled by the amount of light we receive. When there's a lack of light, serotonin converts into melatonin, which controls our sleep. Consequently, come winter, we become sadder and sleepier.

　　天气为何会对我们有如此重大的影响，科学家们至今还在议论纷纷。有的科学家认为人体内血清素是罪魁祸首，这是一种可以使人变得快乐的化学物质，而它的数量与人体接受到的光线的多少有关。光线不足时，血清素就会转化为控制睡眠的褪黑素。因此，冬天到了，我们就会感到更悲伤，更加嗜睡。

　　But researchers based in Norway have found that in Scandinavian countries, seasonal affective disorder affects people during spring and summer, but not as much during the winter months, thereby calling into question the light-brain-chemical theory.

　　但是，挪威的科学家发现，季节变化对斯堪的纳维亚半岛的国家的人来说，在春夏比在秋冬更悲伤。这就对上述的“光线说”提出了质疑。

　　But when are we likely to be saddest? While no official data exists, there are times of the year that are well-known for their depression-inducing qualities. Take a look.

　　那么，到底在什么时候，人们感到最难过？由于没有其他的官方数据证明，我们就来一起看一下那些大家公认的最容易引起情绪低落的时间段吧。

　　Mid/Late Autumn

　　自古逢秋悲寂寥

　　Dr. Rosenthal says that there is a "special sadness about autumn." Particularly cold autumn days tend to come as a rude shock when you're still in the summer mindset.

　　罗森塔尔医生认为，人们对于秋天会有一种特别的悲伤情绪。当你还处在夏天模式时，寒意料峭的秋天就已经不期而至了，这时你就会感到大吃一惊。

　　"We just had a bad snowstorm. When you have a bad autumn, you're not prepared for it. You think winter is stil six weeks away, but it's actually right around the corner," says Dr. Rosenthal.

　　罗森塔尔医生说，寒秋来了，你却还没准备好。这时人们的感觉就好像经历了一场暴风雪一样。你觉得离冬天还早呢，而冬天离你却只有一步之遥了。

　　Daylight Savings Time

　　夏令时

　　When you're out at a party that first Saturday of November, you're usually excited about the extra hour of sleep you'll get when the clock goes back an hour.

　　十一月的第一个周六，当你从派对上归来时，你常常为可以多睡一个小时而感到开心，因为这时你的闹钟还要往回倒拨一个小时。

　　Later that week, though, daylight savings time will mean that you'll see the sun for an hour less every evening -- especially if you're not hitting the outdoors at 7 A.M. every morning.

　　那天以后，夏令时就意味着你每晚将少看到太阳一个小时，尤其是对那些每天早上7点以后出门的人来说更是如此。

　　Immediately After The Holidays

　　长假后

　　According to Dr. Rosenthal, post-Christmas can be a stressful time for many.

　　根据罗森塔尔医生的说法，对于很多人来说，圣诞节长假后是人倍感压力的一段时间。

　　"People are usually buoyed by the thought of the holidays. But after, when you have go back to your dreary job with nothing to look forward to, it can be very depressing," he says。

　　长假的动力一直在支撑着你，而长假过后，你又不得不回到枯燥乏味的工作中去，看不到希望，这时你就会觉得特别沮丧。

一月的第三个礼拜一

　　Third Monday Of January

　　一月的第三个礼拜一

　　According to British psychologist Cliff Arnall, the third Monday of January is the saddest day of the year.

　　根据英国心理学家克里夫•阿诺尔的说法，一月份的第三个礼拜一是人们一年里感到最难过的一天。

　　Arnall's prediction is based on a scientific formula that takes into account the dreary weather, debt from the holidays and broken New Year's resolutions.

　　阿诺尔的预测是基于科学公式而来，结合了烦躁的天气因素、长假后的欠款问题和新年期许破灭等各种因素综合得出。

　　This year, that date was January 17.

　　今年的这一天正好是1月17日。

　　The Beginning Of Spring

　　春天伊始

　　"Spring is a terrible tease," says Dr. Rosenthal. "You get a warm day or two and you start thinking that winter is over. You think you'll be able to put on all your summer clothes, but actually, there's usually a lot of dreary weather still left," he says.

　　罗森塔尔医生说，“春天很会和人开玩笑。日子暖和了一两天，你就觉得冬天已经结束了，你可以把夏天的衣服都拿出来穿上了，而通常情况下，冬天烦躁的天气还远没有走开呢。”

　　Spring is usually the last stretch before summer kicks in, and waiting for it to get over can make one feel surprisingly low.

　　春天是夏天来临前的最后一役，而等待夏天到来的这种感觉往往会让人感到尤其低落。