People facing unpleasant tasks from drinking medicine to passing on bad news could ease these painful moments by simply tensing their muscles. A study published in the Consumer Research journal, found that clenching your fists temporarily boosts your self-control and willpower.
当人们遇到不开心的事情的时候，人们或许会选择喝少量酒来缓解自己紧张的神经，酒精的作用是使得肌肉放松下来。日前，有一份研究显示，难过的时候“握紧拳头”也可以让紧张、郁闷的情绪暂时舒缓下来。
Iris Hung from the National University of Singapore and Aparna Labroo from the University of Chicago, put a group of volunteers through a range of self-control dilemmas that involved accepting short term pain for long term gain.These included placing hands in icy water, drinking watered down vinegar, watching a charity appeal and resisting unhealthy foods.
来自新加坡国立大学以及美国芝加哥大学的研究人员开展了一个关于“为了获取‘长期益处’的‘短期忍耐力’测试实验”。参加实验的人必须通过一些测试，比如：将手放进冰水之中、饮用冲淡的醋、以及抵制不健康食物等一系列“测试忍耐力”的测试。
The authors found participant's who tightened any muscle at the moment they faced an internal struggle were better able to withstand pain or discomfort and to resist tempting foods.
研究发现，人只要在“抵制诱惑力”或者“忍受短期疼痛”的时候，尝试握紧拳头、或者使身上任何一个部位的肌肉紧张起来，就可以适度地抵抗诱惑，甚至抵抗不健康食物的诱惑。
However, if the volunteers tensed up too long beforehand they felt depleted by the time they had to make a choice.
当然，实验是人性化的，只要志愿者们已经达到“不能忍受”的地步的时候，他们可以做出选择。或坚持，或放弃。
The scientists concluded: 'The mind and the body are so closely tied together, merely clenching muscles can activate willpower. 'Thus simply engaging in these bodily actions, can serve as a non-conscious source to recruit willpower
研究人员总结，人体的身心是联系在一块的，脑袋想什么，身体就会做出相应的反应。当我们遇到诱惑的时候，如果环境需要我们短暂忍耐一下疼痛，科学告诉我们只要稍微紧握拳头，或许就能达到我们想要的目的了。
Vocabulary:
fists n. 拳头（fist的复数形式）；拳套