The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-23
How to Get Sleep.


BT 4 LONG SUFFERER FROM ISsoHSfA-
With the return Of the cpld nights Of
winter improved more and more. All
medicines and all remedies we're discon-
tinued and obtained four and five hours
of dreamless sleep, which have con-
tinued to do with. rare intervals ever
since Latteriy, indeed, much to my as
tonishment, have achieved six and sew
en- hours at stretch but these instan-
ces are so phenomenal as to cause feel
ing Of bewilderment at my capacity for
sleep. My frst precept to the sleepIess,
therefore, Is, See that your liver is in
order"
And now let me refer to one Of what /
may call the secondary calses Of sleep
lessness-that is causes apart from bodily
health and disturbance Of mind. One Of
these is Of 50 simple a character that
could almost hesitate to name it, but
from the fact that the abandonment Of
il in my case had a most miraculous ef-
feet in promoting sleep. When | was in
the midst of my most acute sufferings /
invariably kept my watch and a candle
and matches close 10 the side Of my bed.
The consequence Of this was that the mo-
ment turned in bed or recovered con-
sciousness 10 ever so small an extent my
thoughts Immediately flew to the match
es and | felt 50 acute an anxiety to know
how long had been asleep that in a mo-
ment | was wide awake and struck
match TO looS at my watch. After being
thus thoroughly aroused, sleep did not
return for sometimes an hour, sometimes
two, sometimes not az all. One right il
occurred to me, as it ought to have done
at first, that if the facilities for striking a
light and consulting my watch were not
at hand, might possibly only turn on
my pillow and go to sleep again. From
the time l first banished the matches, I
have scarcely ever had really bad night.
The habit Of rousing up was broken, and
habit is a wonderful factor in connection
with sleep. The second precept I would
lay down for the sleepIess, therefoe, is,
Never have box Of matches near the
bed"
Next, / am convinced from an expert
enee Of many years that to the sufferer
from chronic sleeplessness, alcohol, even
in moderate quantities, is injurious.
Many sufferers from insomnia have said
to me:
q l feel 50 exhausted from want Of sleep
lam obliged to take small quantity of
stimulants TO keep me going" | have
suffered from sleeplessnes as scutely as
any one, but do not believe in alcohol.
Anything that tends to increase the cir
eulation and inaame the blood vessels is
fatal, more especially at night Ny next,
and one Of my most emphatic precepts.
therefore, is, Be very careful to avoid
alcohol
l will now refer to another system /
have adopted in my battle with insomnia
and which / still find occasionally indis-
pensable. refer to reading in bed. Mr..
Henry Kingsley, who appears to have
suffered much from insomnia, recon-
mends this, and goes 50 far as to say that
one must do it il defiance of the risk of
setting the curtains on FIRE. In my own
case there IS no risk ofthis, for the sim
pie reason that l never have bed cur
tains, which to my mind are a delusion
and snare. Whenever, in the absence
Of matches, find myself wide awake af-
ter three or four, or, it may be, five
hours sleep, and feel that there is little
OF no chance Of my going 10 sleep again,
] invariably read in bed for an hour. II
! did nos do this state Of restlessness
would set in--s feverish craving for
sleep, which would be the means Of ef-
fectually banishing it for the rest Of the
night. The best thing. therefore, to be
done is to light candle, eat biscnit,
and take book Bear in mind that the
book must not be Of too exciting char
acter, but just sufficiently interesting to
get the thoughts into quiet, peaceful
train.
One very frequent cause Of sleepless-
ness is too great an abundance Of bed
clothing. A sheet, two blankets. and
counterpane are generally sufficient in
winter, except in very severe weather,
and sheet and blanket without counter
pane in summer. In former years I Was
reckless enough to sleep IN strange beds
without first examining the amount Of
clothing. la the small hours Of morning
l would awake hes and restless, and ind
TO my CONSERVATION three or tour blank
cts AID a counterpane over me, even in
mild weather To bad sleeper, this is
fatal. He should aecustom himself to as
little bed-cIothing as possible, and Of as
tight charaeter.-Paa MGH Bud Il.