The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-01-25
VARIOUS AIDS TO SLEEP.
CURES FOR INSOMNIA FOUND BY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
Evenings should be Periods of Re.
laNation-HairP Pillows Preferable
IN Epatbar-Cfmnip Rpmedip

Evenings should be Periods of Re
laNatton--Hair Pillows Preferable
to Partnerships Remedies.
It will be interesting to collect tn
many remedies that have been suggested
for sleeplessness. A hot shower bath Mt
bed time cleanses the skin and pred S
poses to sleep, it is claimed. The one
sure and safe way is to take a brisk walk
Of mile or two before going to bed,
and then after the walk holding the head
under a stream of cold water This,
however, should be done when the habit
Of sleeplessness first begins.
A business man with mechanical turn
of mind should fit up his attic as car
penter shop and spend an hour therein
after supper. A walk Of two or three
miles a day is sufficient, says one writer,
while another maintains that nothing
will do but horseback riding. Again,
relief from sleeplessness can he found by
wettng linen handkerchief, folding it
and placing it under the back of the neck,
with dry cloth under the kerchief to
protect the pillow. Still again, warm
the feet by friction, extra wrapper, etc,
d cool the head either in a draught or
with cold water or ice. One sufferer has
palliated the distress of his vigils by
leaving his bed, lighting fire, and sit
ting in a chimney corner reading and eat.
ing by turns until the demon intimated a
desire to depart.
A physician writes that the evening
should be a period of relaxation and
recreation, relief from care and anxiety
to be found in cheerful conversation
pleasant games and light reading, while
persons of sedentary occupation are to
take plenty of open air exercises. A fee
bic circulation is to be overcome, aud
cold feet are to be warmed. The stom-
ach is to he attended to if the digestion
is not good. II it is overloaded easy
and refreshing sleep is impossible
Weakly persons and invalids often find
a cup OF hot broth or cruel or some other
light and easily digestible food taken on
retiring to be the most promotive of
sleep. The led should neither be too
hard nor too soft, nor the clothing too
abundant nor too scanty. All unpleas-
ant sights, sounds and smells should be
excluded Regular and early hours of
retiring are essential. No victim of in
somnia can with safety burn the midnight
oil or engage in evening dissipation. The
man who observes these precautions and
adds thereto a clear conscience and a
sound mind has the promise of unfaling
sleep.
A student troubled with insomnia dis
carded his feather pillow for one of hair
with wonderful effect. The hair pillow
does not get warmed up to an unc ON
Portable degree because it rapidly con-
ducts away the heat impaired to it by
the head. The same person found that
sleep could be brought on by simply
warming the body especially the feet
or by taking walk or by cod shower
or sponge bath, followed by rubbing
with coarse towel. Getting out of bed
for few minutes when the air was cool
often brought relief. lie had lain awake
half the night, and then after being up
long enough to mix and drink a lemon.
ado, had fallen asleep at once on going
to bed. This student found that a light
lunch just before going to bed relieved
his brain by drawing the blood to his
stomach.
Another victim of sleeplessness found
that continuous low noise favored
sleep The sound of water dropping on
pan has been prescribed by a physician
The explanation seems to be that a sim.
pie monotonous impression quiets the
brain by occupying it to the exclusion of
more varied and interesting and there
fore stimulating, impressions. On the
same principle are the devices of count
ing backward or forward, imagining
sheep jumping one by one through a
gate. etc, but they are open TO the OBJ.
lection of causing one portion of the
brain to be eXerted in order to control
the rest of it.
man who has 'struck upon the right
plan at last, and who opens up TO the
world something calculated to make
mankind rejoice, writes that all you have
TO do Is to imagine yourself going on a
long journey. Think over the details of
it every night when sleep lags. The
: nlan-made hun healthy and happy.
A physician has one simple remedy,
which requires no medicine. Compose
the mind as much as possible, confine
the thoughts to one subject, and close the
eyes, rolling them continuously in one
direction. Ina short time consciousness
wi be lost, and you will be in the bliss.
full land of dreams. After an experience
of two years, another man found that he
was always able to 90 to sleep very
shortly after retiring to rest by keepinp
hi9 NNN9 ANNhiAS NNNh III lOuuu ludi
they turned up when he was sleepless
and was cogitating something that kept
him awake.
An editor finds relief by wetting a
cloth with cold water and binding it
across his forehead Another plan is to
draw a long, slow breath by the mouth
and to force the breath out through the
nose, imagining that the current can be
seen. An attempt may also be made to
read an amnsing novel in bed or to re-
peat familiar poem, but all study OF Sc
rious reading should be stopped half an
before going to bed. In paper read by
a physician before the Boston society fol
medical improvement he said that sleep.
lessness is often caused by starvation and
that a tumbler of milk if drank in the
middle OF the night will often put people
to sleep when hypnotics would fail of
B. their purpose G0od housekeeping.