THE TRUTH ABOUT SLEEP.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15959, 25 October 1923, Page 8

THE TRUTH ABOUT SLEEP.

(By a Doctor) It is often recorded or Napoleon, Wellington, Frederick tho Great, and many other famous men that they oould keep well on an average of tour or five hours'of sleep per night. There is no greater mistake. History abounds in examples, equally illuminating, which point to the other extreme. The great Dr. Johnson, for example, although he probably retired late, was seldom cut of bed until tho afternoon: Lord Nelson rarely slept less than ten hours; and Charles Darwin, notwithstanding the monlmental work of his lifetime, could not work for more •than three hours a day. It is a fallacy to try to measure steep by hours, because the 1 quality is extremely vaiable. And irt is quality that counts.

As a general rule the depth of sleep is in inverse ratio to its duration. An exceptionally heavy sleeper may find four or fivo hours sufficient, while a light sleeper may require twice as long. Sleep ,’is a peribd of rest for both body and brain, and is sweetest and most refreshing when both are equally fatigued. With a weary brain in a restless body sleep is usually difficult and, when it docs come, disturbed and ineffectual. This also is true when the muscles are tired but the mind remains alert. During the resting stage the blood is busy removing the fatigue products which have drugged the nerve-centres and temporarily destroyed their efficiency. When this removal is complete sleep has served Nature’s purpose, and so comes to an end. Obviously this rrooess varies in different individuals. Just as human beings differ in the way They eat, talk or work, they differ in the way they sieep. The old tag about an hour of sleep before midnight being worth two alter probably owes the origin to those who we inclined to sit up too late.' By going to bed before midnight they naturally sleep longer. There is no evidence to prove flat “early to bed early to ise” brings any special reward in its train. If we believe in it at all it is only because we associate early rising with industry and late rising with laziness. On tho other hand, some people (though they are a small minority) sleep too much. Naturally sleep Is always associated with temporary anaemia of the brain and if sleep he too prolonged the brain will be slow to regain its normal activity.