Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-08-19
A NAP AFTER A MEAL
ONE OF THE BEST ITEMS IN THE
LIST OF LIFE PREsERvERs.

tn. Postprundial Restful Dose In
an Aid to Good Health and More In
Accord with Physiological Re-
ouirements Than Exercise.
The majority of people take meal OF
some kind between the hours Of IL ana
2 daily, says physician. win nu.h-
Der Of persons this meal assumes 'no
form of substantial dinner "n1'e
with others II amounts to nothing more
than a light luncheon. In either Case
however. the repast requires to be dl-
oested. and this necessitates some mod
iflcation Of the activities OF the praln'
since neither that organ nor those con-
cerned In the processes OF digestion are
capable Of good work when an attempt
Is made to put forth their energies 81
simultaneously.
The exceedingly complex processes OF
digestion and assimilation whereby
dead animal and vegetable matters
are transformed into living human us
sues demand for their rapid ana
healthy performance an Increased cir
culation of blood In the stomach and
ancillary organs as we'll as concen-
tratton Of nervous energy In the same
region. Now. increase Of circulation IN
one organ or set Of organs entails
Ammunition In the others. Consequently
the supply Of blood to the brain is cur
tailed Immediately after a meal mas
been eaten. and since the blood Is the
life the higher functions Of that great
organ are performed only with diff
Guilty II at all.
A tendency to drowsiness, confusion
OF thought and inability to make any
great mental effort are among the re-
cults Of a diminished cerebral circuia-
zion. These feelings are, therefore, ex-
perienced by most persons AFTER d
meal. and they are the more pro-
nounced in proportion to the greater
amount Of digestive energy expended
Since brain work Of good quality can
not be produced while the processes OF
digestion are in active operation 1t IS
wise not TO attempt 1t. 1t is never
prudent TO thwart the benefcent inten-
tions Of nature. Many persons strug-
gle against the mental and physical
lethargy that accompany the earlier
stages Of the digestive act, apparent
" under the delusion that all time
given TO the important business Ui
building up and repairing their tissues
ia time wasted. So far from this be-
ing the case, a we'll spent postprandial
interval tends TO the preservation and
prolongation Of life.
II tendency 10 drowsiness Is fell
sleep should be allowed to prevail FOL
the proverbial forty winks" Is tusti
fed by science. A ten or fifteen min
utes' nap after a meal, curiously
enough. will enable many brair
worker to arise refreshed who migh'
have spent an hour or two In vail
and mentally confused struggle agains
the "drowsy god" A cup Of tea o.
coffee about an hour after Ign
luncheon will facilitate and expedite
the last stages Of gastric digestion an(
80 assist in the rapid re-estabhshmen
of mental vigor and clearness Of mind
There are some persons who instead
of resting after luncheon or early Din
ner take some form Of exercise, suci
as walking or cycling. If the meal ha
been at all substantial muscular exer
else must tend to retard and weaker
digestion by withdrawing certain
modicum Of nerve energy to the lowe
limbs and the centers which govern
their movements and diminishing tn
circulation In the alimentary canal o.
increasing it In the legs and arms. IN
less their digestive powers are YER
keen people who take active exerclS
after food find that the process OF q
gestion is thereby only prolonged.
On many grounds rest after food
more In accordance with physiologica
requirements than exercise, and To
afternoon nap, so scofed at by I'd
needless, Is q measure to be not OIL
defended but recommended. II Is
practice beneficial not only to dige'
ton. but to many Of the other fun
tions of the body Rest is the on
thing needful In this restless age, an
Il is never so necessary as In the sma
hours Of the afternoon.
Among the many generally unsu
pected benefits conferred on the POI
meridian sleeper rest Of the heart an
systemic circulation must be placed
the front rank. Now, the more res
within the limits Of health. the heart
able to obtain the more efficiently al
the longer will 1t continue to carry
its work, for the heart Is, with mo
people, a much overworked organ, al
any indulgence given 1t will be repa
several times over.
Another very important organ whi'
obtains a much needed rest during Il
afternoon nap Is the eye. There Is
reason why people should be constar
" laying waste the powers of the
gan Of vision, the optic nerve and Il
visual centers of the brain Itself
continual gazing at whatever trivl
objects chance to present Intensely
within the field Of vision. Even t
most casual Of things seen" entails
expenditure Of nerve energy, and
adjustment Of accommodation, we
and tear Of the exceedingly fine al
complex ocular mechanism and a c.
responding exhaustion Of the ner
cells constituting the visual centers
the brain, all Of which must tend III
mately to curtall the period duri
which the visual sense should be at
best.-.I.ondon Chronicle.
Calf nrivera Rorn. Not Made.