The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1891-10-16
TO HEAD OFF wAkEFuLNEss.
Here Is IL J,~thod Which Is Said to PC
InfaIIiiIe for Securing Sleep.

Here Is - JsFAlsci 1ISh a. Sdlu 10 y
InfaI!ihIe for Securing Sleep.
The good old cure for sleeplessness
holds good through all changes, an easy
conscience and a healthy body. A due
portion of fatigue and quiet surround
ings may be added as also necessary to
induce refreshing sleep, and sleep which
is not refreshing is about as unsatisfac-
tory as wakefulness. Nevertheless, to
people Of a nervous temperament some
strictly material rules for counting the
balrlv pod with src 'ess are not to be
de~, 4 Many little things conduce to
eleep.+5s!"ss, the avoidance Of which
will remove that trouble.
Indigestion, cold feet, oyerfatigue, tea
and coffee taken in excess, excitement
generally. al tend to a restlessness Of
the braia, which prevents calm sleep.
Many devices are resOrted to to expel
such The old suggestion,
made in ridicule originally, to read some
very dry book or to have some Il talk
you to sleep is really ex Sellent in prac-
tice. The dull monotony OF a prosy book,
and even more the dull monotone of a
prosy talker, usually produces just the
dull impressions on the brain which are
required to induce sleep. A mon0tonous
train Of thought often serves.
An eminent student of brain disorders
prescribed the constant dripping of water
on a metal pan. The regular ticking of
g clock frequently sends sleepless per-
sons into the desired state Of brain mac
ton, though in fact all these processes
may serve to drive a very ervoa per-
son into a wild hysteria Of wakefulness.
But an old and most ~curiously recon-
mended physical process comes to is in
old books.
1t was announced many years ago as a
great discovery in England by a Nh.
Gardner, and most cdimmendatory testi-
monials as to it's effectiveness were given
by the late Prince Albert, Sir POWELL
Buxton, Sheridan. Knowles and other
eminent persons. 1t was considered so
valuable that a large sum had to be paid
for it for publication by Mr.. Binns in
his quaint book, now almost unknown,
entitled The Anatomy Of Sleep"
The prescription as therein printed is
as follows: The person who after going
to bed finds himself sleepless is to lie on
his right side, with his head comfortably
placed on the pillow, having his neck
straight so that respiration may be IN
ilnpedel. Let him then close his lips
slightly and take a rather full inspira-
ton, breathing through the n~ostrils IN
less breathing through the mouth is
habitual. Having taken the full inspira-
ton, the lungs are to be left to their
own action; that is, expiration is not to
be interfered with. Attention must now
be fixed upon the respiration.
The person must imagine that he sees
the breath passing from his nostrils in a
continuous stream, and at the instant
that he brings his mind to conceive this,
apart from all other ideas, consciousness
leaves him and he falls asleep. Some
times it happens that the method does
not at once succeed. 1t should then be
p~ersevered in. Let the person take
thirty or forty full inspirations and pro-
coed as before; but he must by no mean
attempt to count the respiSations, for if
he does the mere counting will keep him
from sleep.
1t is certainly to be said Of this plan
that it is safe and can easily be tested.
The other prescriptions, such as a good
conscience and q we'll earned fatigue,
need not be set aside on account Of it.
New York Tribune.