Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-09-12
POSITIONS IN SLEEP.
HOW VICTIMS OF INSOMNIA MAY
WOO SWEET sLUMBeR.

Order to Obtain NaSaraI Repose.
Various Ailments and the PostsPes
Best Adapted to Them.
Positions that WOO sleep in victims
Of insomnia Ia an interesting study
made by a well known metropolitan
physician. Whitman V. White of
Brooklyn. Dr. 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 denounces
the practice as unnecessarily taxing
ON the disorganized systems of insom-
ola patients in many cases. In his
own experience he has found simple
method adequate without weakening
after effects likely to produce increas-
ed symptoms.
"Through a study based on the laws
of physiology in human anatomy ex-
| tending over 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
rest that will from the ease afforded
| the affected parts serve as natural
somnolent agency. 1t will be readily
| understood that q constrained position
will tend to prevent natural repose.
while comfortable one will WOO 1t.
But what may in most cases seem to
| be q position Of ease may in reality be
| the reverse.
"For instance, 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
IL 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 is the position
advocated by physicians generally in
! the most exhausting diseases. and it
| Is hailed as a sign of rapid recovery
when patient exhibits an inclination
to turn on either side. But ut the same
time there are several disadvantages
/ In the supine posture which impair or
embarrass sleep. whether in case Of
severe il!npss or ordinary health. Thus
| In weakly states of the heart or blood
| vessels and certain morbid conditions
| of tn, brain the blood seems to CRAWL
tate to the back Of the head and TO ac-
cor'lngly produce troublesome dreams.
I believe that much Of that weaken
| ing delirium which the physician has
| to contend with in treating serious
| maladies Is often occasioned in this
way.
"In persons who habitually stoop in
| their gait or work. either as result
Of the requirements cf their Occupa-
ton or from the course Of their physi-
cal development, there must necessari-
ly be some distress consequent in
Strengthening the spine. 1t may not
1 be sufficient to cause pain and yet be
such a strain as to prevent perfect
ease. The result is unconscious rest
lessness, which Is the producer Of in.
| somnia.
people who have contracted chests
cannot sleep we'll lying upon their
backs. This rule applies especially to
/ those who have suffered with pleurisy
and retain adhesions of the lungs. They
will find 1t easier to get to sleep upon
the right side and that their somnolent
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 it's recuper-
ating effects.
! 'It is desirable, therefore. in all cases
| to lie on the side, and in the absence of
special diseases rendering it more de-
| sirahlc to lie on the weak side, which
leaves the strong lung free to expand.
the right side should be chosen. \
! glance at any plate Of the visceral
anatomy will show that when the bod.
Is thus placed the food in the process
Of digestion is greatly aided in its
passage from the stomach into the IN
tostines. Here the principle of gra VI
tation directly applies Then the fact
that the stomach doesn't compress the
upper portion of the intestines is still
another advantage to be gained from
lying on the right side when sleep
wooing ease to the entire human mech
anism is under serious consideration.
I'm conclusion. wish to refer to
some injurious eccentricities. or falls.
in sleeping which l have observed. \
wealthy woman once came 70 ne 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
head, position greatly to be depretat-
ed, although 1t will induce sleep in per-
sons who have weak lungs. The cir
culation is thereby made stronge. in
the eXtremities. and the head and mock
and muscles of the chest are drawn
up and relaxed by the shoulders
phila1plnhin Times