The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-30
DO WE SLEEP TOO MyCHR
Some observations on "Nnture's
Sweet Restorcr."
Minneapolis Times.

Minneapolis Times.
The average man spends one-third of his
life asleep. Considering how short a span
life is and how varied are the demands OF
modern existence. this seems heavy trib-
ute TO nature. Is so much sleep neces-
saryf Gould not the machinery of the
body he kept in repair with something less
than this amount?
Most people sleep eight hours ont OF the
twenty-four and there are those who feel
that they require even more. However,
eight hours may be called an average
There is an old adage which regulates
sleep as follows: Seven hours for a man.
eight for a woman. and nine for fool"
II this he correct. there are many fools
among US
Among great men there are many in
stances in which a very little Eeep has
suf'fced during as active life. Nor did the
lack of II seem 70 be attended by any evil
result Many men who have habitualiy
taken only from three TO FIVE hours sleep
night have retained strong constitutions
and lived TO a good old age. Generally
speaking. the men who have accomplished
great things have been men who slept but
little. Whether II is Il matter OF constitu-
ton or 81 necessities OF their undertake
ings. the great generals. statesmen. au-
thors and scientists of the world have
almost uniformly burned the midnight OIL
Napoleon slept on an average about five
hours out OF the twenty-four. Gladstone
il very early riser. DR. James Legge
or oxford. who has just died al the age
OF ss Is said to have risen habitually az
O'Clock. after sleeping Ave hours.
Brunei the famous engineer scarcely
ever wen; TO bed and yet never showed
any signs % fatigue After working the
greater part OF tho night. he slept two or
three hours in his arm chsir, and n dawn
was ready for work again.
Lord Heaihfield who was in command
throughout the four years siege Of Glib
ralIar. never during that time slept more
than four hours out of the twsnty-feur
He lived - the age 81 II
Pref Max Muller records that Aiexan-
der Won Humboldt once remarked 70 him:
widely spread that want seven or
eight hours 81 sleep. When 7 was your
age simply lay down on the sofa, turned
down my lamp. ana after two hours sleep
I was aS fresh as ever" He lived 20 he
50 and even in his old age sIept only four
hours 2 right. Tdtfre during the preuara-
ton or his dictionary. was IN ;he habit
Of working until and rising ~ &
These examples nigh; he multiplied in
definitely While they do no, afford n crl-
terfon ~ which 20 Judge the AVERAGE
man. yet they sre no ind;cat ton that man
d0cs rot require so much sleep as IS or
diUartly supposed II youth and child
hood an abundance Of sleep il certainly
necessary and the lack 90 il arrests nu-
triton and development and impairs
health E9t in adult fife e IS n question
= people 10 not sleep 100 much Less
sleep ana more exercise would probably
he better physical economy IN any event
more sleep than IS lust sufficient for rec1i-
perstlo1 f. clear lose Tho ma ority ~
fhnse Who oversleep 30 so rather from
hahi. or lax ~ energy than from = con-
sci~n7ious belief that they require 81 much
rest. Thsv simply sleep untiI circumstances
CT wskeff,nsss compel them % rise What
they need = an incentive 70 activity
II peopl~ properly h-sbar,'sd their re-
Sources during TIRE day .hev would rot feel
The need % 50 much sleep at night. Ha-
hitual repoSe Is - important % the preser-
walton - the ho3y periods 81 complete
rest. II ore could master the ar ~ keep
log absolutely qgiescent ali muscles and
faculties uoS = use & follows that this mar
tial rest E0Gld make complete res, less
necessary. = is she eTahuEianca q er-
thUstasr. The tsrlsitv -he excitement she
fritterlng away - nervous force ard mus
cular strength Or thousand useless xss-
tLres Arts ard u3Sertak3axs that brings
0n that exhaustion W1ich Can caIy be re-
h+vct by lc0E sleep
Not az people could 1--we un tRa ~ even
feur e~ Nve hours sleep rat macy might
f.ve o- uukh lesS thar they ordinarily axe
Z Is however s. matter ia whlcA general
ft.!%s cannot 20 lsid 8owu. Eveyy izdi-
T.8usl ms; settle II lor himself