The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-11-04
HEALTHY SLEEP.
Conditions Which Assure the Best Results
to the Subject.

to the Subject.
I think we may safely say that every
one requires six hours sleep in the
twenty-four, and very many laen and
women, not to mention fools, require
even more. Certainly, too much sleep
is harmful; but too little is vastly more
so. l would let each man regulate his
hours of sleep by what he feels are his
real requirements; always urging him
to avoid the suspicion of laziness, to
take into consideration the bed he lies
upon, and to watch the effect on his
health of any system of sleep he adopts.
III you get up when you first wake,
providing you have had six hours
of sound, refreshing sleep. you can
scarcely get wrong. But make sure
of your six hours minimum. and
be wonderfully suspicious of the ne
cessity for further sleep, as it is apt
to become, not necessity, burt indul-
gence. Wellington could sleep at any
moment; Baron Bunsen could sleep for
half an hour at any time in the midst OF
his studies, awaking refreshed, and re-
suminp his work with increased vigor
A blessed gift this; such a faculty, COM
bined with that of early rising, is as
good as a fortune to u capable man, or,
indeed, to almost any man. Sleep is
heaviest in the first few hours, gradually
becoming lighter, and probably dis
turbed by dreams, as time wears on.
until a slight noise disturbs us, or our
rested system resumes full work of its
own accord. Everybody knows that in
dreaming part of the brain is awake and
ait work, while the other part is asleep
as much as the brain can sleep; at all
events. exercising lessened function. 1t
| is therefore obvious that dreamless sleep
| is most useful, as dreams are evidence
| of work by some part Of the brain, de-
tracing from perfect rest.
! A very important factor in securing
healthy sleep is the kind of bed we lie
] upon. Feather beds | can not COM
\ mend; indeed, luxuries-and this is an
l undoubted one-are not to be sought
by him whose aim is perfect health and
strength. A spring mattress is very ex-
| cellent, and the harder your couch, to
1 be comfortable, the more likely are you
! to secure healthy, refreshing sleep. not
unduly prolonged. 1t is difficult mat
ter to rise early from feather bed,
difficult to awake in a reasonable time,
and more so to leave its warmth and
coziness in winter. Bat the fuysry
must be sacrificed to the more healthful
influence of the mattress. The clothing
should be light and warm; and L can
not but recommend the sheet of paper
placed between two blankets as being
very warm, for paper is poor con:
ductor of heat. You get warmth by
| this means without undue weight OF
! clothing. Then your bedroom must be
well-ventilated, for you require to take
] in an extra stock of oxygen during the
| night to help out the supply for the
I day. You will sleep too much if the all
is impure.
II, then. you have taken care thai
1 YOUR bed is very warm and cOmfOrta
bic, without either being oppressed witt
clothing or too soft, and your room bt
fully ventilated, and you can't sleep
what must be done? Perhaps you att
too much supper, and must await it
more perfect digestion; or, being
squeamish, you ate less than usual. ane
the cravings of the stomach must b.
satisfied before sleep is obtained. Ii
this case a glass. of new milk. KEEP
. handy for use, with biscuit, will prob
ably satisfy your requirements, and yol
fall asleep readily. A friend of min'
who was hot and restless. and couls
not go to sleep on one occasion, pro
cured due repose by going into TIL
street and rolling in the snow
Another person describes the mean
: he adopted for sleeplessness a
, consisting in watching the re
Election from a light he could no
> see, in tumbler of water placed fea
i, him. A few turns up and down you
room may assist YOU if YOU fail to dis
! cover any chilliness, pain, or dfscoul
fort as causing insomnia. For myself
persistcntiy think of nothing achen
s can not fall asleep. / work until quit
weary. then, tumbling hastily into bee
! usually find sleep Immediately. 0
those rare, occasions when sleep evade
me, | check my thoughts imnediatel
they begin. and concentrate my after
J. ton on blank. This refusal Of theugf
n nearly always succeeds. If yod can ne
sleep, and are worried to death wit
$ cares of the business and the famil.
; ask your chemist to give you ten or ii
! teen grains of the bromide of potassium
= in an ounce of water, and this repeate
{ for few nights will allay the worr,
and cause d return to your healthy col
v dition. Leeds (Eng.) Mercury.