Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-06-20
HOW 1rO SLEEP.
BY JOSEPH WAIT, N. D.

whose sleep is disturbed and broken
from any cause, who is restless and un-
quiet, and who fails to find himself IN
The morning refreshed and reinstated
n tone and energy-however favorable
his other conditions may be-cannot be
a well person; or if he has health he 10
a sure state of preparation to lose 1t.
So potent is sleep as a means OF restor-
ing strength to the Nervous and Muscu-
lar Systems, that the judicious physi-
cian-of whatever school-values it
above all other physical agencies as a
curative in disease. However much the
may think Of the virtues Of his
medicines, he will suffer his patient to
pass them all by so long as he can
Healthful, refreshing, sleep therefore,
should be duly valued by all who wish
to have sound health. We cannot af-
ford to be Indifferent whether "tired ma
sweet ~restorer" visits our pillows
favorably or not. We must be very
hospitable to her; we should be at great
pains to entertain her; we should WOO
her ~fayors; we should be careful to make
all the circumstances and surroundings
agreeable to her requirements; then she
will not show herself a moody, tickle or
guest, but will make herself
at home with US, and wrap US nightly
in her soft embrace, till fresh life md
yigor are infused into US.
There arc other ways Of numbering
sleep " than by a guilty conscience, like
Macbeth. One Of the most efrectual is
practiced alike by men and women
which is the habit Of carrying their
business, whatever it may be, to bed
with them. The merchant is absorbed
in his mercantile affairs from morning
till evening, and, when he closes his
store at night, he does not close his
business, shutting the affairs Of the day
out Of his mind and occupying it with
other thoughts which shall prove H d.
version and relief; but he allows him.
self to study, and plan, and calculate
about the specialimatters which have &C.
him during the day. He goes to
bed with his head full of business when
he sleeps his brain is burdcned with it ;
he wakes, and turns, and dozes, and
turns again. Business haunts him like
a nightmare. He awakes in the morn
ing unrefreshed and e%nervated, having
performed as much business by night as
by day.
The lawyer suffers his business to &C.
cupy his mind clear up to the time Of
retiring ; and then wheh he would put
it away he cannot, but it fits about his
whispering first in this ear,
then at that startling sleep from him
whenever she would settle upon him
with her downy p%inious.
The minister studies his sermon far
into the night, and then goes to bed and
sermonizes during the remainder Of the
and rises in the morning weary
and worn.
The student pores over his lessons till
then goes to bis couch with
a brain excited aud active and 90 can
get no continuous, undisturbed repose.
Women who have husbands and chill
dren and houses to care for, work, and
calculate, and plan till the management
of their households and servants come
to absorb all their thoughts and life, till
they keep house at night between the
intervals of ftful sleep, as we'll as during
the day.
Teachers carry their schools to bed
with them and expend their sleeping as
we'll rs their waking energies upon
them.
In order to secure such repose Of the
mind and body as shall reinvigorate
them, it is essential that the thoughts
be turned out Of the channel in which
they have run during the day. They
must be effectually diverted from their
course. Thus the action of the nervous
system is modified, the circulation OF
the blood is changed, and a sedative
condition is secured.
There is real philosophy in the prac-
tice of devoting the evening to amuse-
ments. Legitimately regulated and in
diligently appropriated, they would for
the time absorb the attention, thorough
" breaking up the action Of the mental
faculties, and so be the most fitting
preparation for hsalthful sleep.
By amusements and r~ecreations, by
social intercourse, or by conversation,
pleasant or gay; reading something
which shall not task the mind, while at
the same time it diverts it with new
thought; by light and pleasant physical
exercise in the open air-not in gymna-
siums-or by some other means, should
all persons, whose minds are burdened
with cares or study, relieve the pressure
before retiring at night.
The h~ousekeepsr may walk in the
and listen to the birds and pluck
or cultivate and train flowers
in her garden, or have a'romp with her
children being SURF for the time to be-
come herself a child, and forget the
Of the day. She may seek to
divert her thought by chatting with her
neigbbor; only let her be sure not to
chat upon household affairs, and not to
to her trials in the management
Of her children, nor to her difficulties
her servants, nor to her hardships
in her labor.
One of the greatest mistakes which
people make, so far as cultivation and
expansion Of the mind are concerned,
not mentioning sleep, is always to make
their conversation relate to their par
work or profession. Mothers
are prone to be continually talking
about their children, or domestic affairs;
teachers about teaching /; farmers about
their farming business; lawyers about
the law, etc. Every person, however
much necessity may cause him to be
to business during the day,
should so command his resources and
surroundings, that before going to bis
;ouch at night, he shall be emptied of
ais farm, store, Office, study, household
work, teaching, and be simply a human
lovingly related to God and to
III . Then, If his stomach has no.
work on hand, his sleep will be sweet
Ind refreshing, and one of the sures.
'reventives Of sickness he can possibly
Rave.
The CASE OF s. B. VAIL.-we learn