Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-12
TOO LITTLE SLEEP.

out" Very true, if one were compelled to
choose between the two but what necessity
is there for doing either? Our American
people are certainly in little danger Of "rust'
ing out" and such nervous, wlry, restless
people may be too tough to wear out easily.
The number of long-lived persons to be found
in almost every town would indicate that, as
people, we are hard to kill. But it is not
so much 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, theatres or concerts-are inva-
riably kept up late, and on reaching home
are wakeful from the unnatural excitement,
the miserable practice of late suppers, and
the tea and coffee, if nothing stronger, that is
provided. But, though they seek bed at most
unreasonable hours, if they are people of bus.
mess or compelled to attend to household
cares, they cannot afford to regain lost sleep
by late rising; or if young, with no cares that
are imperious, a long sleep after the sun is
up is not half 80 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 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 insure good health
and steady nerves depends much upon the
nature of the occupation through the day, but
still more upon the constitution. Some are
so nervously active that they consider few
hours rest sufficient and even in sleep they
find no respite from the daily care, but live it
all over 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 persons are sure to
pay heavily in later years for the rest Of
which they robbed their youth.
A sleep which is but pretense-half sleep
ing, half waking-is indicative of some un-
natural strain upon the nerves. A healthy,
sound sleep, which gives perfect rest to all
the functions of the brain, and the entire
nervous system, will restore the vigor used
up throug Oh day of active mental or physic-
al 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 a
pleasure.
Infants need all the sleep they can be in
dueed to take. Sleeping and eating are all
that can be expected of them. Their rapidly
developing bodies demand this, and ifhealthy
will secure it !; and all the way up from infan-
cy, through childhood, there is little fear of
their sleeping too much. But when the body
is fully matured, from seven to eight hours,
according to the nature of the daily avoca.
tions, is fair supply for good health if taken
at the proper hours for sleep, after the "early
to bed, ear ly to rise" rule. There are excep.
tions to this rule, of course, occasionally, af'
ter some season Of great excitement or ex-
haustion, such as cannot always be avoided.
Mental labor demands more sleep than
physical labor but from mature youth to past
middle age, more than eight hours in bed is
facilitating. If some peculiar temperaments
and some avocations require more than that
amount of sleep, better take half hour or
an hour even in the middle of the day. When
old age draws near. more sleep will be requir-
ed, of course.
As general rule, if body and mind have
full exercise through the day, the supper is
| light, and the evening is spent in happy,