San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-30
TO GET A GOOD SLEEP.
A BOON FOR WHICH MANY WOULD
HAVE GIVEN ALL THEY HAD.
Insomnia a Widespread Disease and Some
times a Difficult One to Permanently
C~re-A Simple Remedy Discovered by
Wise Man Who Was q Sufferer.


Wise Man Who Was a Sufferer.
blessed be the man who invented
sleep" exclaimed Sancho Panza, philo-
sophical squire of the redoubtable Don
Quixote. And no one appreciates this so
much as the unfortunate individual af-
tlicted with insomnia
A remedy for sleeplessness should be
known by every one, since there is moth
tire system as being unable to sleep
soundly. sleep knits up the raveled
sleeve of care" said Macbeth. This was
philosophy born of his own experience
since his conscience made sleep stranger
to his eyelids, and he was verging on
madness. We have all felt, at some time
or other, the truthfulness of Young's
thought that sleep. tired natures sweet
restorer," was like the rich, "his ready
visit pays where fortune smiles" while
he ''flies from woe and lights on lids I'M
sullied with tear"
A SERIOUS MATTER
Sleeplessness is dangerous. 1t will pre-
vent the rebuilding of the body after
sickness and will waste away the most
robust if not checked. And, worse than
all, it is prolific source of madness. To
become unable to sleep soundly or even
reasonably well is cause for serious
alarm. 1t is also a source of great suf-
fering. Any remedy, therefore, which
will induce sleep to kiss the eyelids
which have wooed the drowsy god in
vain will prove a boon to every one.
The causes of insomnia are legion, but
outside of general nervous debility and
chronic disorder of the nervous system
whether caused from mental or nervous
disease, or from some injury to the
nerve centers, the causes of sleeplessneSs
may be put down as anything that
causes the blood to flow to the brain in
increased quantities. Strong physical
exercise, rapid breathing or deep thought
will, according to the best authorities,
conduce to bring about state of sleep
lessness. And unless checked it will
grow until it becomes very serious.
1t may be stated, as fact overlooked
by many who find themselves unable tC
sleep, that their insomnia arises from
carelessness on their part in failing tC
observe certain easily ascertained rules
in regard to sleeping.
The body cannot sleep while the brain
is excited Anything which will dimin-
ish the flow of blood to the brain will
allay excitement Very deep, slow and
quiet respiration will soothe the brain
to great degree, and. at the same time,
serve the purpose of detraCting the at
tentiOn Of the mind from the matters
which may disturb it.
Moderate heat, monotOny of sound
and darkness tend to make one sleepy.
The only effect of darkness is to shut out
external objects and thus assist in quiet
ing the mind The notion that sleep OBJ
tanned in the daytime is not beneficial
has no reason to support it. Sleep is
sleep, and if one can sleep soundly and
well in the day time it serves the same
purpose as sleep obtained at night. But
few people can do this on account of the
light and noise. Hence the old but err
roneous idea that only sleep at night
could thoroughly rest and recuperate the
body and mind after their labors. This
is abundantly proven in the case of in
fants and convalescents. Both sleep in
the day time equally az well as at night,
and both grow more while sleeping than
while awake.
Cool, fresh air is the best to sleep in
Extreme heat and closeness of the air
tend to prevent sleep, as does profuse
perspiration. The teeth should be well
cleaned and the mouth rinsed before
going to sleep. After all these necessary
rules have been observed, and still sleep
refuses to come at tho bidding of the
pleading eyelids, one may be sure they
are suffering from insomnia, and should
seek to induce sleep by any means. But
how to do this has been the question
with many, and physicians are called in
and soothing potions taken, all of which
will fail in nine cases out of ten. But
what, then, is to be done? This is what
thousands of sleepless persons have
asked. There are many sure and simple
remedies
The most celebrated remedy was that
of Mr.. Gardner, of England. 1t was
known to the entire reading world about
thirty years ago, but having been out of
print in recent years only older people
remember it. Physicians who make a
speciality of nervous diseases are familiar
with it, and recommend it in nearly all
cases where a patient suffers from in
sOmnia.