Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-04-10
Wakefulness.

The fret effect-o an excessive use Of
the brain is generally wakefulness. 1t
is easy to understand why this should
be the case, when we bear in mind how
sleep is produced. As | shall have &C.
casion hereafter 10 say few words
with special reference to the physiology
of sleep, it will suffice at present for me
10 mention the fact that exact observa-
tons have shown that sleep is caused
by the blood in measure flowing out
of the vessels into those of the other
parts of the body.
OF course, anything that prevents the
diminution of the quantity of blood in
the brain prevents sleep. Every time
an individual thinks, if it be only for
the hundredth part of a second, every
time his emotions are excited the ves-
sells of the brain enlarge and the guam
tity of blood they contain is increased.
Normally, as soon a the thought has
passedand the emotion has faded away,
the vessels contract, and when sleep is
coming on they diminish still more in
caliber, but if II person thinks too
much, and especially il he is anxious
about some important matter there is
no opportunity for the vessels TO be-
come reduced in size. They must re-
main full of blood in order that the
brain may do the work required. The
tension is thus kept up too long, and
eventually, like all over disteDded bod
les, they lose their elasticity and then
q return to their normal dimensions is
no longer possible.
Most of my readers have doubtless
seen the India bands which are used
for the purpose Of keeping packages
together. Ii the package is somewhat
large and the band is kept around it for
long time the band, when removed,
does not return to its original size. 1t
is exactly the same with the blood ves-
sells of the brain. \ condition of con-
gestion is thus produced, which is
fraught with danger to those who do
not heed the first warnings.
Chief and earliest of these premoni-
tons is wakefulness. The vessels of
the brain refuse to contract; they re-
main gorged with blood, the mind is in
consequence active and sleep, such as
is required. is not TO be obtained.
Instead of the calmness natural in 4
person who has passed the night in
sound "Td refreshing sleep. he Is excit-
ed airy. the most triiling event
annoys him. he is disagreeable 10 his
family and friends and he feels that he
is not capable of sustained thought or
of passionate judgment.
have known many persons TO suffer
heavy losses from attempting To do
business when their brains. from want
of rest which comes with sleep, were
/
and exactness the mental work requi-
site for success.
| BY far the most influential factor in
causing wakefulness is. emotional ex-
element, and of all the emotions most
powerful in this direction anxiety
comes first. l suppose there is more
or less anxiety attendant upon all bus
mess operations, but certainly those
who are engaged in stock speculations
appear to NE TO be most liable 10 bc
affected with anxiety. Not even The
certainty of disaster so efiectually
wears away the brain as the uncertain
ty which exists with the great mass of
transactions relating 10 stocks. The
Operator, after having perhaps pass
ed an almost sleepless night, goes down
town in the morning, knowing he must
obtain two or three thousand dollars by
three o'clock to keep up his margin or
make his balance good'at the bank, and
not knowing where the money is to
come from. Probably he gets it, but
the same thing is repeated day after
day till eventually his whole nervous
system breaks down. III he does not
get it ruin comes; but like most Ameri-
cans he knows how to adapt himself to
the inevitable, and so, after the first
pang is over, he manages to start
again or goes into some entirely differ
emit business, and the incurrent rest,
which is forced upon him. is the best
medicine he can take for restoring his
exhausted brain. William a. Ham
| Dao,ld.