The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-03-29

or any indigestibIe substance and by the
mind being undisturbed with cares. Over
fatigue. indulgence in food or drink be-
You'd what nature requires, want of pro-
per exercise, and mental disquietude are
all causes of sleeplessness. Breathing in
confined or overheated apartment is
also a not unusual cause of broken SUM
| Der. The temperature most suitable for
sleep is about sixty degrees, which gives
the sensation of neither heat nor cold, and
admits of a moderate amount of bedcloth-
es being used.
The best posture for sleep is to lie on
| the right or left side, with the arms cross
| ed over the breast in front, and the head
well up on the pillow. The mouth should
| be shut. so that the breathing may be
carried on exclusively through the nose.
| Some persons acquire habit of sleeping
with the mouth open, which causes the
grotesuue and offensive action of snoring
Going to sleep while lying ON the back
| should be avoided. as. besides inducing
the sleeper to snore. it is apt to cause dis
| turbing dreams.
When lying down to sleep. the mind
! should be as composed as possible. Think
ing ought to be guarded against, as pro-
ductivc of wakefulness. Those who, from
| nervous irritability, are habitually bad
sleepers, resort to various cNpedients to
secure the blessing of repose. One of the
most successful plans consists in mental
| ly repeating Il familiar poem or psalm. so
as to alter the train of thought and hull
| the consciousness.
1t is well-ascertained fact that sleep
| begins at the eXtremitics; the feet sleep
first. and then the rest of the person. On
! this account, in order to fall asleep. we
require not only to compose the thinking
| faculties. but to keep the feet still The
feet must also have an agreeable warmth.
| With consciousness Of this fact. the
| North American Indians. and others who
| are in the habit of bivouacking in the open
air when on distant expeditions. sleep
with their feet toward Il fire which they
kindlc for the purpose.
Certain drugs act as an Opiate and pro-
ducc sleep when ordinary means fail but
these should never be taken unless by
medical sanction. The practice of using
opiatcs is most detrimental to health. and
| if pclSevered in, is rllinous to the consti-
! tuition. Coffee and other beverages act
variously on different individuals. They
| eXlliiarate some. and others they send to
sleep. Tea usually acts as an cxhilarant
by stimulating the nervous system. and
| should not he taken less than four hours
before going to bed
While it is ascertaincd that sleep is con-
nccted with the state of the BRAIN there
remains the extraordinary fact that some
persons possess the power of summonng
sleep by an effort Of the will Napoleon
Bonaparte is known to have possessed this
faculty During his campaigns. when no
regular repose could be taken. he embrace
ed opportunities of sleeping for quarter
| of an hour. OF some other short period
and of waking up exactly when the as
| signed period had expired. This snbjec-
ton of sleep to the action of the will is
in practice comparatively rare More
commonly, habit and predisposing condi-
| tionS such as darkness and quiet induce
| sleep. There are occasions. however,
when, owing to great fatigue, for exam
| pie an uncomfortable heavincss and
| drowsiness will cause a man to drop to
| sleep in II moment, even in the most I'M
comfortable positions and amid light and
noise.