The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-09-03
FOR WOMEN.
THE MEDICINE OF SLEEP.
In No Country is it More Neglected
Than IN America.
Charlotte Observer.

less and sleep worse, probably, than the
people of any civilized nation. Indeed
our tendency to sleeplessness due in 8
measure to the very fact of our civlliza
ton, which is, in many respects, OF the
highest. We are more sympathetic
more anxious-m minded, more occupied
above all, more nervous, than Euro
peans are, and less inclined to leisure
to take rest. Our native women, though
not generally in any Kind of business,
are too intense, are keyed up too high,
whatever their pursuit, be it pleasure
bic or serious, to adapt themselves read
lily to slumber when the strain has been
removed. Too often the strain is
not removed when they 60 to bed, and
then they toss for an hour or two on
their pillows before natures refresh
ment comes. They permit their rec
reations or their duties, or both, to ell
croach too much on the time they
should give to sleep, never remember
Ing that a certain amount of sound
sleep is absolutely essential to the pres
ervatlon of really good health.
Many women think they are we'll so
long as they can keep up and about.
They may always feel tired; have ire
quent headaches, very little appetite,
and suffer continually from megrins.
They do not take any medicine ;
they do not need any. And they are
right, If they mean drugs, but wrong,
if they include any form of restorative,
which with them should be sleep-the
sleep they steadily deprive themselves
of. Sleep is in many cases, notably in
such cases as theirs, the best medicine,
and the very last that is taken. 1t is
prescribed by the great physician, Ma
ture has never been known to do harm
and usually does incalculable good.
II these tired, listless, headachy wo-
men would resolve to try to sleep at
odd times, whenever they can, or reg
ularly SO many hours. say eight or
nine, night after night tor months,
and execute their resolution infiexlbly
their ailments would De apt to disap-
pear. They might be wakeful, haye
troubled dreams and feverish rest for
some weeks, but perseverance will
accomplish the unexpected. Sleep is
commonly matter of habit and 1egu-
larity, and may be won by persistency.
Physical health and mental peace are
worth everything else; too high a
a price cannot be had for them. Life
without these scarcely deserves preserv-
ing, and they merit in and of them
selves the consumption of little time.
Two or three hours more a.day conse-
Grated to rest are most judiciously ex-
pended, particularly since they may save
years later on, and make all the differ
ence between satisfaction and dlssatls-
faction, serenity and uneasiness. To
get full and proper rest in due season
is one of the wisest and most profitable
of economics, one we'll worth pract1c-
Ing.
In some of the oldest countries of
the East, like China, the people take
to their bed and keep entirely quiet,
though they may not sleep, as soon as
they feel unwell, believing that in
this way they will either recover or be
the gamers ultimately. And expe-
renee is said to justify their belief. |
The American custom, far more OF
women than of men, is to avoid lying
down so long as one can stand. We
seem to think any cessation from labor
OF activity IS serious disc1edit, and at
tachrnent to sleep little short of dis
grace. We appear to consider work |
the highest duty, and to have so little |
appreciation of pleasure as actually to
work in its pursuits. Abstinence from
labor of any sort impresses us as spe-
cies of surrender, and so we stick to it
while we retain any degree of strength.
Women do not understand the |
amount of sleep they need, or if they
understand it they neglect what should
be an obligation to themselves-alto-
gether the more profitable. They GER
tainly do not know what help more
sleep would be to them mentally and
sanitarially-thisi in particularly they
would try to get more. A very large |
proportion of them who are virtually |
lnvalids, though they may not admit |
it; who are rarely cheerful Or hopeful,
through deranged nerves who are COM
planning, fretful, nagglng who cannot
imagine what ais them-are what they |
are from lack of adequate sleep. They
ascribe their condition, their failings,
to a variety OF causes, but never to the
right one-which is, SO to speak, under
their very eyes, and therefore unsuspect-
ed. Many, chiefly they who are fond
of society, recognize that incapacity to
rest at night, and try to overcome it by
narcotics or sedatives, without any per-
manent success. They substitute arti-
fetal for natural means, and pay the
penalty. AS a rule they sleep worst
who sleep least. The true curatives