The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-09-04
REST AND EXERCISE.
UNDERWORLD is QUITE AS HARMFUL
AS OvERWORK

An Excess of RepOse Brings About
Loss of Energetic Be Beneficial
Exercise should BE stimuIattye and
Not Exhaustive.
underworld is quite as harmful as
overwork But proper rest is of ex-
eeeding Importance. Any excess Of |
work decreases instead of increases
strength. When muscles work heat Is
generated They burn among the prod
ucts of their combustion, being car
bonic and some other acids. Now, |
these acids hinder further action, as
the product of the combustion of coal
ashes deadens a fire. The sensation
we experience from this physiological
clogging is fatigue natures warning
to rest or suffer the consequences. Ii,
when fatigue is felt, further action
ceases, the blood impenetrating the
muscles carries away their products.
Fatigue then disappears and the mus
cles are in condition to renew their
activity So periods of rest after ex-
ertion are absolutely necessary.
In some muscles, like those of the
heart and breathing organs, the periods
of rest between the rhythmical efforts
balance the effects of the efforts; hence,
in our normal condition, our heart and
lungs never feel tired.
There is every reason to believe that
when fatigue is profound and too fire.
uuently repeated renovation is not
thorough, and there is consequently
loss of strength.
Constant physical strain, even though
1t be slight saps nervous force. To
feel well more energy must be formed
than is expended. Now, while work.
by stimulating the heart and lungs,
produces energy, at the same time 1t
expends it. yet during work more en-
ergy is necessarily expended than is
formed. Energy accumulates In the
rest after work, but only when rest Is
sufficient will the total energy formed
exceed the total expended. When work
is excessive rest cannot be sufficient
| and we have a loss of energy,
On the other hand, II rest be excess
| i've, as when one works too little, we
still have a loss of energy, for in this
| case. although the expenditure Is COM
| paratlvely slight, 1t is constant, and it
is not fully reformed, because there Is
| little stimulation of the sources of en-
ergy.
Unless rest has been preceded by
work, but little energy forms In quies-
| cence.
| To be beneficial, exercise should be
| stimulative and not exhaustive. Let
me explain just what mean. An ex-
| ercise is stimulative when the fatigue
| caused by it is partial and is at the
same time exciting enough to attract
much nutriment and oxygen to the
parts involved. Thus will the gain ex-
coed the loss. All vigorous exercises
! are stimulative They cannot be ex-
haustive, for, being vigorous, they re-
| quire in their performance fairly fresh
| muscles. One has to discontinue such
exercise when but partially tired. They
are stimulative, because the blood flow
to parts vigorously exerted is far great
err and more prolonged than would be
| the blood flow to parts slightly ex-
erted. Exhaustive exercises are those
that are prolonged for many hours, and
these. not being vigorous, may be con-
tinued to the point of extreme fatigue.
Economy of energy, which we hear so
much about, is desirable only when one
performs as much work as he should
and when, therefore, any excess is in
furious Such a one may acquire the
habit of resting. He should when he
can, at odd times during the day, thor
oughly relax himself learn to take
things easy Do not rush and tear
when mere habit is the only excuse for
it. Some persons go always as though
for a doctor or to catch a train. Deli
cate women oppressed with the strain
Of homework, would be benefited by
breaking their work with occasional
intervals of rest They should. sit when
not obliged to stand and lean back II
chair when they need not be bolt up
right.
AS to the amount of sleep required
by the average man, think that sever
hours Is sufficient Some constitutions
may need an hour more; some may dc
with an hour less Growing youths and
children require ten or twelve hours
sleep. A fairly good general rule is tt
80 to bed at such a time that you car
get up at the necessary hour without ar
alarm clock.
1t is not hard work, but overwork
that kills. Severe work should not be
practiced more than quarters OF
an hour three times a week. Easier
exercises may be done every day.
If one wishes health and long life he
should not force himself to work after
he is fatigued by exercise, and be
should never attempt anything that is
beyond his strength. If 1t be true thai
grinding" is wearing. it is indisputa
BILE that proper exercise is vitalizing
and conduces more than all else to 6
long and vigorous life.
The length of time required by
proper exercise is insignificant, hall
an hour three times week of rea
work being sufficient Let the business
or professional man who has no time
for a gymnasium keep two or three
pairs of moderately heavy dumbbells
under his bed. Let him exercise witt
these In various ways. He may also
if he can spare the time, perform some
of the many different home exercises
Nor is there anything to prevent his
hanging a punching bag in an oper
doorway If he will not run in the
street he can run up and down his
own stairs, taking two steps at time
and thus finely exercise his legs anG
lungs.-G. Elliot Flint in New Yorl
World.