The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-10-11
PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE.


A Sufferer from Insomnia Relates Some
Interesting "Reminiscences.
Another ''long sufferer from insomnia, "
who has at length achieved sleep, gives the
world the benefit Of his experience a. follows;
My first precept to the sleepless 10, see that
your liver Is In order; and the second Ia, never
have match box near you. And now let me
refer to one of what may call the secondary
causes of seeplessness- Ia causes apart
from bodily health and disturbance OF mind.
One of these Is Of 80 simple character that
should almost hesitate to name 1t, but from
the fact that the abandonment OF It In my
case had most miraculous effect In promot-
| ing sleep. When was in the midst Of my
most acute sufferings invariably kept my
watch and lamp and matches close to the
side of the bed. The consequence Of this was
| that the moment turned in bed or recovered
Consciousness to ever SO small an extent my
thoughts Immediately few to the matches,
and l felt SO acute an anxiety to know how
long had been asleep that in moment l
was wide awake and struck match to look
at my watch. After being thus thoroughly
aroused sleep did not return for sometimes
an hour, sometimes two, sometimes not at all.
One night it occurred to me, as 1t ought to
have done at first, that II the facilities for
striking light and consulting my watch
were not at hand might possibly only turn
on my pillow and go to sleep again. From
the time first banished the matches have
scarcely ever had really bad night The
habit Of rousing up was broken through
and habit is wonderful factor in connection
with sleep. The second precept would lay
down for the sleepless, therefore, Is, Never
have box of matches near the bed"
Next, am convinced from an experience
of many years that to the sufferer from
chronic sleeplessness alcohol, even in moder-
ate quantities, is injurious. Many sufferers
from insomnia have said to me: II feel SO ex-
hausted from want of sleep am obliged to
take small quantity of stimulants to keep
me going" have suffered from sleepless-
ness as acutely as any one, but do not be-
ieve in alcohol Anything that tends to in
crease the circulation and inhame the blood
vessels is fatal, more especially at night. My
next, and one of my most emphatic precepts,
therefore, is, "Avoid alcohol"
will now refer to another system which
have adopted in my battle with insomnia,
and which still find occasionally indispens-
able. refer to reading in bed. Henry
Kingsley, who appears to have suffered much
from insomnia, recommends this. and goes SO
far as to say that one must do it in defiance
of the risk of setting the curtains on fire. In
my own case there is no risk Of this, for the
simple reason that never have bed curtains,
which to my mind are a delusion and
snare Whenever, in spite Of the absence of
the matches, find myself wide awake after
three, or four, or, it may be, five hours sleep,
and feel that there is little or no chance of
my going to sleep again, invariably read in
bed for an hour. If did not do this state
of restlessness would set ina feverish crav-
ing for sleep, which would be the means of
effectually banishing 1t for the rest Of the
night The best thing, therefore, to be done
is to light candle, eat biscuit and take
book. Bear in mind that the book must not
be of a too exciting character, but just suffi-
GENTLY interesting to get the thoughts into
quiet train.
One very frequent cause Of sleeplessness is
too great an abundance Of bed clothing. A
sheet, two blankets and Counterpart are
generally sufficient in winter, except in very
severe weather, and sheet and blanket with
out counterpart in summer. In former
years ! was reckless enough to sleep in strange
beds without first examining the amount Of
clothing. In the small hours of the morning
/ would awake hot and restless, and find to
my CONSERVATION three or four blankets and
a Counterpart over me even in mild weather.
To bad sleeper this is fatal He should &C
custom himself to as little bed clothing as
possible, and Of as light character.