HEALTH NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1927, Page 15

HEALTH NOTES

SLEEP LIFE'S CHIEF NOURISHER (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Shakespeare portrays sleep, the kindly companion.of life in those profound linos, "Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care, the death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, balm of hurt minds, great Nature's second course, chief nourisher in life's feast." This eulogy has been fully justified as that of Cervantes, "Sleep covers a man over like a mantle. It is meat for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, heat for the cold, and cold for the hot; the current coin that purchases all the pleasures of the world, and that levels the king and the shepherd, the fool, and the wise man." •' Sleep may be defined as a natural condition of insensibility more or less complete recurring normally (for the adult) and lasting from six to eight or nine hours. The infant may sleep twenty hours out of each twenty-four; the growing child may take twelve hours at a stretch. After middle age sleep tends to become lighter, that is, more easily broken and of shoi'ter duration. In human sleep when it is deep, the body lies quiet, with the muscles relaxed, the pulse-rate lower than during waking hours and the respiration less frequent but deep. It reaches its maximum within the first hour and then diminishes at first rapidly and then more slowly. IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP. It requires no great consideration to make it obvious that without' sleep healthy mental and bodily life is impossible. It is known that a person can live a few minutes without air, a few

days without water, and a few weeks without food/but although he can live several weeks without food he cannot live nearly as long without sleep." A legal punishment among the Chinese is death by deprivation of sleep, and the end comes in a few days. Therefore it is a necessity, and' the average indi\ vidual suffers considerably after fortyeight hours of absolute sleeplessness.

PRODUCTION OF SLEEP. Almost every rule of hygieno and right living could be quoted as a sleepproducer. The loss of sleep should not be considered as a forerunner of something dreadful. Persons often get much more sleep than they think they do. On the other hand restless and insufficient sleep should not be accepted as an incurable condition. No one can be at the high point of efficiency and wellbeing unless the brain cells have their required rest, and in some cases sleeplessness may be the early symptoms of chronic disease requiring medical attention. Insomnia or sleeplessness may be due not so much to overwork itself as to the manner of working and particularly the foolish and utterly unnecessary habit of not shutting down the business or professional part of the brain works for a reasonable time before retiring. Intellectual over-indul-gence is a most unnecessary and unwise form of excess, the ' consequences of which are often most disastrous. The ambitious student should particularly guard himself in this respect. To go to bed with the brain absorbed over any subject is a mistake, and it is better for the individual to put in half an hour at least after working, over a novel of just sufficient interest to keep the attention without engrossing it How often it is that man's inhumanity to himself brings on the infliction of insomnia. Should the insomnia habit become firmly established sleep may often be successfully wooed by a change o± environment to counteract all the old suggestions linked up in the mind. PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE.

A normal functioning brain can sleep under almost any circumstance, but once there has been trouble, and the habit ot fitful sleeping acquired, certain precautions are necessary. Black opaque shades, shutting out the early morning light are sufficient to check the habit of waking up early. As a rule hgiit sleepers should avoicl late suppers._ On the other hand it will often help if one is restless to rise and munch a cracker biscuit or take a drink of warm milk. Tho habit of rising and restlessly moving round at night should however, bo avoided. Eye-strain is a fertile cause of insomnia. Restless sleep, as do' headaches, calls for thorough examination of the eyes. Drugs

should bo taken only in the extreme necessity and under the supervision of the family doctor. IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE. Sometimes want of sleep is accounted for by a. real want of physical exercise. Sunlight, fresh air, and occupations with interest in the open air, for example, golf—are recommended. The value of this game to the business and professional man is that he. cannot introspect; he must take a continual series of fresh mental adjustments; he is taking moderate exercise in the open air, takes his own time, does as much or as little as lie feels inclined. Gardening is another form of excellent exercise, which, in moderation, will beneficially affect those troubled with sleeplessness. Outdoor sleeping usually promotes, sound, refreshing sleep. Bathing and warm baths, .apart from being a hygienic necessity,. are essential if normal sleep is to be maintained. SLEEPING QUARTERS. The environment in which we seek sleep is of importance. The "bedroom should be well, ventilated to eliminate certain organic impurities from the sleeper, which, indeed, are poisons; and further to attack various organisms, particularly ■■ the-, rbaeallus Vof :• i.tuberculosis l sv}iich are.,restrietesl .from..flo.ur.ishr, ing in" pure" aiV. "if 'po'sslfe'le ''tlie'-'beci-'' room 'should be' 1 the', best 'room-in the:: house> and..the o.ne.that. receives the, most ..sun. 'The .bed. should, be, of the', type' used" 'in hospitals. ' The" bed clothes should be daily-well aired and : the ; mattress periodically exposed to; the sun: To bad ventilation' in the bedroom may be ascribed that frequently-;--noted unsoejabjlifcy jat; ? tho., .(breakfast table. Sleep ,should, not, „rje . .like. an anaesthßt%,^rbducing-distressirig' la'ft6r-'' results.':: A tfeison; should rtwake.u: frown:-,' sleep .w.ith...r-ene.we,d. physical.and., mental vigour''after' having'part'a:ice'ii'-ive^j"oJf 1 : this "chief nourisher in life's feast.'."" '■ SLEEP REQUIREMENTS/ ■: '■'■' i At:-'pjlb'ertyf: "adolescence, I'.'juid.:-all. climacterics, there is . speeigjl need, of „ attention to secure that amounYbf sleep" ' which each particular case needs. Regularity in timeran,d.-iduration- of ;sleep is essential to,the., growing organism. v SleejTiS a: jterib'd" of' growth;-'^ied:trlffiy''' is grcaSttg^andJninltiplying-JeKerywltejic,:-:; hence-.;its;?H.eed ?f ,an,d.,.iu a--niii:ior degree.,, that' of 'every''enilcV/" The T*3uai"be{P* :r: time>'as'v:&et&nnin6d--i)y'' tbe-!Gus-iJom'siilo&.' a the eominunitjV-tet:;i/3ieief.isi hOTveveyj-vi sound science at the basis "of' the" old belief in "beauty sleep, ' and the value of the hours before twelve at midnight so spent. Medical authorities and others agree that children four years old need twelve hQurs; five to seven years^old, eleven to twelve hours; eight to eleven years oldj ten to twelve nours; twelve to fourteen years old, nine to ten hours. The reasonable hour for the ordinary man or woman to go to bed is ten or at latest eleven. The necessary amount of sleep for adults varies greatly with the individual, and also with the occupation of the waking hours.

Remember: Sleep is a necessity for human life. If you neglect the rules of hygiene and right living, sleep may neglect you. During sleep the various organs of the body receive nourishment, and this is especially so of the nervous system. It is important, therefore, that you get enough sleep so that the required amount of nutriment or energy is generated. Regularity in time and duration of sleep is- important.- Beware of mental over-indulgence as it is often the cause of insomnia. Finally, engage tlve mind in pleasant thoughts and: learn to love fresh air, sunshine; and physical exercise, and the best of all heritages—sound, refreshing sleep will be yours.