Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-10-11
A Physicians Hints on Sleep.

zine, il which he says in part:
One-third, or even, in some cases
one-half, Of our lives is spent in sleep.
It was Kant, I think, who while ad-
vocating a decrease of the hours de-
voted to sleep asked, "Why try to pro-
long life if so much of it is to be spent
in sleep IquOte the prOyerb for
the purpose of noting that too much
sleep engenders pessimism. Sleep is
the period of inactivity, and inactivity
enfeebles. 1t is law Of nature that
unused structures shall degenerate.
Abuse of sleep is as certain to cause
physical degeneration as is the abuse
of alcohol.
OF course, the amount of sleep nec-
essarY % recuperate the system varies
somewhat with the age and manner Of
life Of the individual. The infant dur
ing its first six months of life should
not sleep less than about twenty hours
daily this period should be gradually
lessened until the second year Of life,
when the time for sleep should be
about seven hours daily. Between the
second and third years the sleeping
period may be gradually lessened to
Is hours between the third and
fourth years, to II hours between
the fourth and sixth years,to IS hours;
between the sixth and ninth years, to
70 hours between the ninth and-tentb
years, to 10 hours.
During the critical period between
the ages of Is and 16 at least 10 hours
should be spent in sleep. After this
period, when adult life is well estab-
lishel, eight hours sleep is all that is
required by persons in good health.
Ofcourse, this rule has its exceptions.
Recuperation from sickness or from the
effects of severe or unusual mental
strain may make a longer sleeping
period necessary.
The opinion of medical men that
eight hours is sufficient sleep for
normal adult seems to be quite unani-
nous. 1t is curious fact that men
of genius have as a rule required a les
number of hours for sleep than eight,
For example, Napoleon, Mirabeau,
Goethe and Humboldt all slept for an
average period Of less than eight
hours. We learn, however, from those
who surrounded them that when they
did sleep oblivion was complete. Their
recuperatiye powers seem to have
been as remarkable as was their men
tai activity.
It is erroneous to suppose that old
age requires a greater period for sleep
than adolescence or middle life. 1t
follows, therefore, that the tendency
to drowsiness so frequently seen in
aged persons should be combated rath-
er than encouraged, lest habit tend to
increase it more and more.
Sleep is the resting time of con-
sciousness. a man exhausted physic-
ally or mentally recuperates thosepor-
tions of his brain in which are located
the ceuters presiding over the exhaust
ed functions during the sleeping Pc
Rod. In these exhausted nerve-cen-
ters the Inconsistencies is deeper than
elsewhere, in order that the rest may
be more complete. This is best ap-
preciated when we remember the eff
feet of sleep upon the brain of per-
son who has suffered intense grief.
When such person sleeps grief is
completely forgotten; no dream re-
calls the misfortune. Even on awak-
ening it is a little time before the ez-
act nature of the misfortune can bere-
membered.
In order to understand the causes
Of insomnia we must learn little con-
cerning how nature causes sleep. Sleep
is accompanied by contraction Of the
blood vessels of the brain. The blood
is squeezed out Of the brain, so TO
speak, and that organ becomes in
measure bloodless. This bloodless, or
anemic, condition is a sine qua non:
without it sleep ca/nOt be induced.
Mental activity requires just the OP-
posite condition. Severe mental labor
must be fed by means Of an increased
blood supply. We recognize this when
we notice how red and cOngested be-
comes the face of anyone who is max
ing mental exertion-a publicspeak-
er, for example. The mental energy
exerted uses up force, which must be
replaced at once. Nature, therefore,
sends blood to the parts to resupply
the cells with vitality.
Anger and fits of passion use up
more mental energy than work. no