Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-07-04
HOW PEOPLE SLEEP.
Some Interesting Dream Statistics
Cleaned by a Russian UnIvers.


i Cleaned by a Russian UnIvers-
ity.
i An interesting investigation upon
the above subject has recently been
made under the auspices of the Uni.
versity OF Dorpat, Russia, says the
Boston Medical journal. Some 500
circulars were sent out with series oil
quite definite questions, which were
answered with equal detail by 151
students, lib other males. ~ females.
The results for the two sexes were 40
different that they demand separation.
! while the students formed homogene-
GUS class interesting us special
study. Tho first problem that was pro-
posed was the relation between the
frequency and the viyidnes3 OF dreams.
1t appears that 62.5 per cont OF those
who dream every night dream wildly,
! 600 per cent Of those who dream fire.
qucntly, and only 26.8 per cent of those
/ who dream seldom, showing that the
vividnass of dreams increase very rap
idly with their frequency. Next, bow
is the intensity Of sleep related to tho
frequency of dreams? OF the students
/ who dream nightly GS per cent have a
light sleep (and only % per cent have
IL deep Sleep; of those dreaming fire.
quently, 40 per cent; OF those dream
ing seldom, 1928 per cent. Similar
percentages for the other males are
, G3.S, 42.1, and 1913, and for women
72.i6 and 50 per cent. We conclude,
/ then, that frequent dreams are con-
! comitant OF light sleep, though the
relation is far from universal. As re-
CARDS sex, women have 70 per cent of
their number dreaming nightly or fire.
quently, while students have only so
per cent, and other males 4S per cent.
Again, 63 per cent of the women sleep
lightly, and only AZ per cent of
students, and Al per cent of other
males. We conclude, then, that
women have a very much lighter
sleep than men, and that their dreams
are proportionately more frequent.
huoOiiSi SoHSluSlOll, INC CNlucuCo Vi
which is too detailed to present, is that
as we grow older our dreams become
less frequent, but our sleep becomes
lighter; age affecting the intensity of
sleep more than the frequency OF
| dreams.
The author regards the student as in
the period If maximum dreaming GO
to II years of age). The deep sleep of
childhood (hostile to frequency of
dreams) is then least counter-balanced
by the lcsSening of dreams due to age.
The vividncSs of dreams sh ows SINH
lar relation to age and sex; the women
dream most wildly; the students, being
| younger than the other men, have
more vivid dreams. The power of re-
membering dreams is also dependent
on viVidness and frequency of dream
ing; it is accordingly greatest in wo-
men, and greater in students than in
more mature men. The liveliness Of
the emotional nature, prominent
feature Of women and youth seems thus
to be marked ont as the caustic agent
in the production Of dreams. The dura-
ton of sleep should naturally be related
to the habit OF dreaming, but in the
men no such relation can be discovered.
In the women, however, it appears that
those who dream frequently sleep an
hour longer than those who seldom
! Il TIKI, III ffo,npan i, la
! due to the fact that men are moro unr
! der duty to break short their sleep and
| thus vitiate the statistics. This is cor
roborated by the frequency with which
the men who dream frequently declare
themselves tired in the morning, indi.
eating incomplete sleep.
The need OF sleep is greater in wo-
men than in men; the duration of sleep
being longer and the percentage of
tired morning. and evening and of not
tired being to , and to respective
! ~ as compared with the men. Stu
dents sleep longer and are less tired
than other men. The time needed to
fail asleep is about the same in all
three clas5o8-2).0 minutes for the
men, Ill minutes for students, and
81, minutes for tao women. In each
ease, however, il ke5 longer foI
those who arc frequent dreamep5 and
light sieopor5 to fall asleep than per-
sons OF opposite characteristics.
Eighty per cent OF students sleep I'M
interruptedly through the night, 70
per cent of other men, and only 43 per
cent of women. Light sleep and
frequent dreams increase the inter-
ruptelness of sleep. The power Of
falling asleep at will is possessed by
t few. 1t is greater in youth than in
: age. Twenty-eight per cent OF woa,
10 por cent OF students. and 20 pei
cent of women sleep in the afternoon,
: indicating a making up OF insufficient
sleep on the part OF men.
Tho effect of dream h bits upon
t mental work is also evident. Those
/: who dream seldom, or sleep deeply, are
, better disposed for work in the fore
1 room than light sleepers and frequent
/ Greamers. The forenoon seems in
ganeral 10 b9 the preferred time g
york. The STATISTICS regarding nerv:
BUSINESS confirm the accepted fact thai
} this is greater among women than
a men. 1t is greater among student:
a than other men at large. 1t is, too, q
t concomitant OF light sleep and frequent
g dreams. As to temperament, the
i phlegmatic people are quite constantly
| aeep sleeRars ana infrequeGt dreamers
Finally, contrast between teacher:
{ and professors of the same average
$ age shows the effect OF the ooeupa,
: ton. The teacher, with his daily toll
r has alighter sleep and more frequent
+, dreams, while the professor, leading ;
, comparatively congonial and worriles.
, life, is Il deeper sleeper and less fire.
auent dreamer Ihap the teacher.
Gno rhai,. yuiofar