Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-06-24
Facts About Sleep.

hours of sleep. Thus, the Immortal
Alfred" of England divided the day
into three portions of eight hours EACH
assigning one for rcfreshment and the
health of the body by sleep, diet, and
exercise, another for business, and the
third for study and devotion. Bishop
Taylor considered three hours and
Richard Baxter four hours, sleep sui
fc:ent for any man.
Mature requires five,
Custom gives seven,
Laziness takes nlne.
And wickedness eleven
The error into which these and 9TH
ers have fallen arises not only from the
fact that in this, as we'll as in other
things, every man is law uEto himself,
but from the varying amount required
in each individual case at different
times. depending upon the amount Of
renovation required BY the nervous and
muscular systems. John Wesley, the
distir guished founder of Methodlsm,
who attained the age of eighty eight,
and who could command sleep on
horse. back, says very properly, in some
curious remarks which he has left upon
sleep, that no one measure will 40 Tor
all, nor will the same amount OF sleep
suffice even for the same person at all
times. A person debilltated by sick
ness requires more of "tired nature S
sweet restorer' than one in vigorous
health. More sleep is also necessary
when the strength and spirits are ex-
hausted by hard labor or severe mental
efforts. Whatever may be the case
with some few persons, Of peculiar
constitution, it is evident that health
and vigor can scarcely be expected to
continue long without six hours sleep
IN the four and twenty. Wesley adds
that during his long life he never
knew any individual who retained Wig
orous health for a whole year, with a
less quantity OF sleep than this.
It IS said that women, ii general re-
ouire more sleep than men. This Is
doubtful 1t is certain, at least, that
women endure protracted wakefulness
better than men. The degree Of mus.
cuar and mental exertion to which the
male is accustomed would seem to lndi.
cate that a longer period of rest ought
to be required by him to admit of the
necessary restoration Ct eXcltabllltv.
In infancy and youth, where the AMI
NAL functions are extremely active, the
necessity for sleep greatest; IN mature
age, where time is more valued and
cares are more numerous, it is less IN
Obliged; whilst the aged may be affected
in two opposite ways; they may be
either in a state of almost constan
somnolency, or their sleep may be short
and light.
There are some remarkable cases on
record of deviations from the customary
amount Of sleep, making a "bed shorter
than for an ordinary man to stretch
himself upon, and covering narrower
than he Can wrap himself in capacions
enough for persons Of very active habits
IN their waking hours. Many persons
have reached advanced age without
ever having had more than one or two
hours sleep out Of the twenty-1our'
There is one case of man who,
throughout his whole life, never slept
more than fifteen minutes at a time.
General Pichegru informed Sir Gilbert
Blame that, in the course of his active
campaigns, he had for whole year not
more than one hour of sleep in the
twenty four hours. Frederick of Prus.
sia and Napoleon, as a general thing
only devoted three or four hours to
sleep.
One can scarcely conceive mole
horrible mode of torture than the
Chinese plan of condemuing criminals
to death BY preventing sleep. The
victim is kept awake by guards alter
nately stationed for the purpose. His
sufferings last from twelve to twenty
days, when death comes TO his relief
The influence of habit in promoting
or preventing sleep is remarkable
Those accustomed to the tranquility Of
rural districts are excessively annoyed
by the din of the carriages on the paved
thoroughfares of a large city. 1t is
said, on the other hand, that those who
live near the cataracts OF the Nile can
not sleep at a distance from them, ow
ing to their having become accustomed
to the noise, the stimulus of which upor
the ear they lack. Some persons car
only sleep in the dark; we knew {
woman who slept habitually with E
candle burning in her bedroom, anc
who invariably aWoke if the lpht wen