Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-01-04
POSITIONS IN SLEEP.
NOW WcTINs or INSOMNIA May
WOO SWEET SLUM6ER.
The Way One should Lie I'm Bed In
Ordes 10 Obtain Natural Repose.
Various Ailments and the Pastures
Best Adapted 60 Them.

Best Adapted TO Them.
Positions that WOO sleep in victims
Of insomnia is an interesting study
made by a well known metropolitan
physician. Whitman V. White of
Brooklyn. DIR. White is a specialist
on nervous diseases and in a mild
but emphatic manner scores his pro
fessional brethren for their free admin
~istration Of narcotics. He denOuDces
the practice as unnecessarily taxing
on the d~isorganized systems of insom-
MIA patients in many cases. In his
own experience he has found q simple
method adequate without weakening
after effects likely to produce lncreas-
ed symptoms.
Through a study based on the laws
Of physiology in human anatomy eX-
tending over a period Of a dozen or
more years | have learned that under
certain physical malconditions," said
the physician, 1.-The subject may be
given relief by assuming positions at
kNSA tLuN VIII AAosl AAt GdoG AlASi NCA
the affected parts serve as a natural
somnolent agency. 1t will be readily
understood that a constrained position
viii tend TO prevent natural repose,
while a comfortable one will WOO it.
But what may in most cases seem TO
be a position OF Ease may in reality be
the reverse.
FOR instance, a dyspeptic will rest
more easily lying on the right side for
the simple reason that In that position
the food naturally gravitates out of the
stomach and into the intestines. while
II lying on the opposite side that or
gan. In it's weakened state, has TO per-
form an uphill process OF digestion
This is amply sufficient to produce In
somnia-
Lying fat on the back. with the
limbs relaxed. would seem to secure
the greatest amount of rest for the
muscular system, whether In good
health or illness. Such 10 the position
advocated by physicians generally In
the most exhausting diseases. and II
Ia hailed ~ q sign Of rapid recovery
when q patient exhibits an Meditation
TO turn on either side. But at the same
time there are several Disadvantages
In the suptne posture which impair or
embarrAss sleep. whether In cAse Of
severe illness W ordinary heaiSA- Thus
IN weakly states Of the heart or blood
vessels and certain moxbsd eonAistelss
OF the brain lie blood seems 10 IRA ~
tate 20 the hack % The bad and % &C
ccrdingiy produce tr00bsescme apesma
believe that much Of that weaken
ins deirium Which NE physsciAa has
90 esnseDd with IN trsas1aa messsms
maladies b often eccasicned I'm this
vsy.
In persons who habitnaliy stocp in
their salt " work. eitAerss s O pesaat
Of the r~ecuirements Of their occupa-
ton OF from the course Of their physl-
cal development there must necess&xs-
~ be some distress consequent In
STRENGTHENING the spine. ID may not
Be SUFFICIENT 10 aus pain and pet be
such o strain Ms to prevent perfect
ease The result IL unconscious rest
lessness. which 10 the producer Of In
eomnia.
People who have contracted chests
cannot sleep well lying upon their
backs. This rule applies especially to
those who have suffered with pleurisy.
and retain adhesions of the lungs. They
VIII find IL easier TO get TO sleep upon
the right side and that their somnolent
rest viii do them more good II they
observe this advice. Furthermore, the
habit Of lying on the back Is the Gre
ator OF snoring. which much belabors
sleep and prevents the subject from
receiving the full benefit of its recuper-
ating effects.
'It is desirable. therefore, in all cases
to lie on the side, and In the absence of
special diseases rendering il more de-
sirable to lie on the weak side, which
leaves the strong lung free to expand,
the right side should be chosen. A
glance at any plate OF the visceral
anatomy viii show that when the body
Is thus placed the food In the process
OF digestion is greatly aided in it's
passage from the stomach into the in
teStines. Here the principle of crawl
tatlon directly applies. Then the fact
that the stomach doesn't compress the
upper portion OF the lntestines is still
another advantage TO be gained from
lying on the right side when sleep
woolng ease to the entire human mech
anism Is under serious consideration.
"In conclusion, l wish TO refer to
r Injurious eccentricities. or fads.
In sleeping which 7 have observed. A
wealthy oma once came 10 me for
treatment for bad dreams of the or
der commonly called nightmare. Up
on making Inquiry | discovered that
she was in the habit Of lying at rest
with her arms thrown up over her
bead, a position greatly to be deprecat-
cd, although It Will induce sleep in per-
sons who have weak lungs. The cir
culation Is thereby made stronger In
the eztremities, and the head and neck
and muscles Of the chest are drawn
uD and rpl1 Nod nv tho Sborl1a-. ~