IS SLEEP NECESSARY.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16634, 27 October 1925, Page 8

IS SLEEP NECESSARY.

SCIEPJTSST SAYS NO. Sleep is a had habit, and a luxury which the efficient man of the future

will do without. Biologically, sleep is a survival of Hie pre-historic existence of man. If wilt become unnecessary as Ihe appendix is now. This is the theory or Dr. T. Zcll. a well-known German scientist. He denounces his theory from an extensive investigation of sleep and a close observation of Hie animal kingdom. The results or this investigation he has .just published in a book called "The Sleep of Man on Hie Basis of Animal Observatiin." In this book Dr. />]l makes Hie following assertions: —

Sleep was the only means that enabled pre-historic man lo live with the beasts and to maintain himself against them. The human system got used to it during the 200,000 years of pre-historic life, and has not, got rid of il yet in the four or five thousand years of civilised life in which sleep has lost its value because man no longer need fear the beasts. Guarding Against Animals. The vast majority of the animals are about during Hie night. During the day they rest under the protection of their natural colours. The theory Dial, the colours of animals are adapted lo Hie environment in order to enable them to move unobserved is wrong. They escape observation by staying perfectly quiet during the day and moving about at night. Mine of the night animals know actual sleep. They merely doze. At Ibe same lime they hear every noise about them. That is why, even with man, Hie ear is the last organ to fall asleep. Some animals, like the whales, do not sleep at all. They have no place to sleep where they would be safe from their enemies. In the depths of the sea sleep is impossible. This does not mean, says Dr. Zcll, that we could abolish sleep to-mor-row. Sleep is si ill necessary, and the sleep before midnight is Hie best, because pre-historic man climbed bis tree as soon as darkness fell. But sleep no longer has any nreessarv function in the life of a modern man, .and, therefore, says Dr Zcll, il is only a question of lime when man will outlive it.

The theory that sleep is necessary lo rest the body, lo enable it eliminate wasle products and to replace them, is denied by Dr. Zcll.