The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-07-12
ABOUT SLEEP.
How Many Hours are Needrui In Different
Cases.

uow NhauN HTe Nttuiuf III
Cases.
1t is often said, "better wear out than
rust out" Very true, if one were COM
PEELED to choose between the two; but
what necessity is there for doing either ?
Our American people are certainly in
little danger of trusting out, and such
a nervous, wiry, restless people may be
too tough to wear out easily. The num-
Der of long-lived persons to be found in
almost every town would indicate that, as
n people, We ore hard to kill. But it is
not the loss of life that is to be appre-
hended from the hurried, energetic way
in which our countrymen rush into and
dash through everything they undertake
as the wear and tear of the nervous
system.
Too little sleep is an evil injurious to
old and young which is little noticed by
those who should have carefully guarded
the health of those under their influence.
Those who frequent places of fashionable
amusements-parties, balls, theaters or
concerts-are invariably kept up late,
and op reaching home are wakeful from
the unnatural excitement, the miserable
practice of late suppers, and the tea and
coffee, if nothing stronger, that is pro-
vided. But, though they seek the bed
at most unreasonable hours, if they are
people of business OF compelled to attend
to household cares they cannot afford to
regain lost sleep by late rising; or if
young, and with no cares that are impe-
rlous, long sleep after the sun is up is
not half SO refreshing or healthful as if it
was secured in the night-.the natural
time for sleep.
Some foolish king once said; "Six
hours are enough for man, seven for q
woman, eight for fool" How many
mothers with young children obtain
seven hours of quiet sleep? If by chance
they and many others could secure eight
hours they ought not to be charged with
folly. The amount of sleep supposed to
, be necessary to secure good health and
steady nerves depends much upon the
nature of the occupation through the
day, but still more upon the constitu-
ton. Some are so nervously active that
they consider few hours rest sufficient;
and even in sleep they find no respite in
their dreams. If one expostulates with
them for giving too few hours to rest
and sleep they will assure you that they
need no more, and that they are as fresh
and bright in the early morning and
through the day as they would be if they
had wasted" double the time in bed.
Such people are sure to pay heavily in
later years for the rest of which they
robbed their youth.
A sleep which is but pretense-half
sleeping half waking-is indicative ct
A healthy, sound sleep, which gives per.
| Cor 70 al +ha g., >f% %Io hro -,
and the entire nervous system, will re.
store the vigor used up through day OF
active mental or physical labor, and
mind and body thus refreshed and
strengthened during the hours of dark
ness will spring up elastic with the first
blush of morning light eager for renewed
work, which after such healthful sleep
becomes pleasure.
Infants need the sleep they can be
induced to take. Sleeping and eating
are all that can be expected of them.
Their rapidly developing bodies demand
this and if healthy will secure it, and al
the way up from infancy, through child
hood, there is little fear of their sleeping
too much. But when the body is fully
matured, from seven to eight hours, ac
cording to the nature of the daily avoca
tions, is fair supply for good health j
taken at the proper hours for sleep
after the "early to bed, early to rise
rule. There are excel tions to this rule
Of course, occasionally, after some seasol
of great excitement or exhaustion, sucl
as cannot always be avoided.
Mental labor demands more sleep THAI
physical labor; but from mature you'll
to past middle age more than eight hours
i'll bed is debilitating. If some peculia
temperaments and some avocations re
quire more than that amount of sleep
better half hour or an hour even in tn
middle of the day. When old age draw
near more sleep will be required, O
course.
AS general rule if the body and min
have full exercise through the day, if til
supper is light, and the evening is spen
in happy, quiet and sensible manner
if one retires to well-ventilated cham
ber, and keeps it so through the night
a sound and healthy sleep will be th
natural result almost as soon as the hea
touches the pillow; ON the contrary,
the evenings are spent in work or amuse
ments that require late hours, the sam
excitement which compels that will fol
low one to the bed, and fevered, fitfu
dreams will be the result, from whicl
one rises more languid and weary tha
when he retired. WOOnsOcket PatriOl
The Great Wall of China.