The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-10-01

Persons who live by mental labor no
only require full supply of sleep, bu
they also need letting down gradually tC
the level of repose. Hence, the longer
the interval between the time of the active
use OF the brain and the hour Of rest, the
better the chance of refreshing and restful
sleep.
The American journal of Insanity not
long since attributed much of the
prevalent nervousness and impaired
health of individuals to the want of
sufficient and quiet rest 1t says: ''To
procure this it is important, in the first
place, that the mind should not be
disturbed for several hours before retiring
to rest. Study during the evening IS
! improper. Some few persons we know,
are able TO perform much mental labor,
and study late at night, and vet sleep
well. Some require but little sleep.
But such individuals are very rare"
Another medical authority, the Lancet,
places the minimum of sleep at six hours
for men and seven for women, with an
extra hour or two 10 be taken whenever
practicable. DR.. Hammond, an AUTHORITY
on nervous diseases, SAYS "For the
sleep" Southey slept seven hours and a
half at night, but he also took a siesta
during the day. "Sleep agrees with me-"
he wrote, ''and | have good substantial
theory to prove that it must for as
man who walks much requires to sit
down and rest himself, so does the brain if
1t be the part most worked, require its
repose."
In respect to sleep, President Grant,
E. E. Hale, and others have confessed |
20 requiring nine out of twenty-four
hours. Milton in winter invarlable took |
eight hours repose, and seven in summer.
Humboldt is reported to have slept but
four hours in the twenty-four, but this
was in his old age, when he did not need
much sleep, and besides it is said that
he was a great "lie-a-bed," and spent
many hours in this half-wakeful state.
Campbell slept over seven hours
Douglass Jerrold retired at 10 and rose
about z, while he slept little after
dinner. Chief Justice Story always slept
eight and often nine hours John G. |
Calhoun went to bed at ten and rose at
day-break. DR.. Arnold allowed himself
about eight hours sleep. Dr. Charming
SOOh al map, Dtsluts | .
taking full nights rest Melanchthon
used to tske but six hours rest, but he
would not even open letter in the even
ing and retired at 9.
This whole subject may, perhaps, be ,
summed up in sentance, viz: that
nan must proportionhis sleep TO his work
10 as to give time during the former for
he brain to restore the waist which has q
AIKEN place during the latter. Ifhe can {
ret along with small supply of sleep it '
hows either that his nervous energies c
rapidly, or that the rate of [
waste during work is slow
Again: In every example of an
amount of work being I
by any individual, it was al
Ways followed by long rest, or resulted
n injury to the constitution Of the per-
on, or death, as in the case Of Horace ,
freeley, who was a lifelong sufferer from +
Lastly; 1t would appear from the }
lumber of examples of such Il practice .
hat taking a midday nap is prudent !,
olicy. Among those who make this rule !
re Theirs and Beecher, not to mention !
theirs. Golden Age. :
CHARLES F. WINGATE. q