Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-04
WORK OF THE LUNGS.
How We Breathe During Sleep-Im-
portance of Proper Respiration.
From the Literary DiRest

portance of Proper Respiration.
From the Literary Digest.
The Importance of proper respiration dur
ing sleep is dwelt upon by DR.. ]. H. Kellogg
in an article on Unconscious Respiration"
contributed to Good Health. Dr. kellogg
notes that during sleeping hours the
breathing movements are more superficial
and slower than when one is awake and
active. The lungs influence the activity
of every organ and every cell in the body
and consequently lessened breathing dur
ing sleep slows down every function. He
goes on:
1T is necessary that activity should be
leSSened In order that sleep and rest may
be secured but the work of the liver kid
neys, and the repairing work Of the living
cells goes on during sleep, and this re-
quires oxygen. Hence the body should be
supplied with an abundance of fresh air
during sleep by proper ventilation of the
sleeping rooms. The lassitude experienced
on rising in the morning after sleeping in
a close, overheated room is evidence of
the injury resulting from such practice.
The temperature of the sleeping room
should never be above 60 degrees f. when
a higher temperature can be avoided, and
lower temperature will be found bene-
fetal. Sleeping in cool air, provided the
body is kept warm. Is far more refreshing,
invigorating and energizing than In a warm
atmosphere. Cold air has a tonic effect
upon the tissues which Is highly bene-
fetal"
The amount of air taken In during sleep
may be remarkably increased, DR.. Kellogg
goes on to say, by developing the vital
capacity and the activity of the lungs
through suitable exercise. He says:
An eminent French Psychologist found
that the amount of air taken into the lungs
during sleep was doubled in students whose
general breathing capacity had been in
CT eased by exercise. Exercise in gymna-
SUM, chopping and saving wood, digging.
laundry work, scrubbng, running of er.
rands, all sorts of active homework ana
farm work-are excellent means of develop
Ing the chest. Any exercise which acceler-
ates the breathing. compelling deep, full
breathing, is valuable as a means for de-
veloping the lung capacity.
Languor, nervousness and mental cloudi-
ness are driven away by the increased ven
tilation of the body secured by deep breath
ing The pure oxygen taken in burns up
the rubbish which obstructs the brain and
the tissues, while the deep-breathing move
ments accelerate the circulation, drawing
the impure blood toward the chest for pu-
rifcation. and cleansing the tissues of
the paralyzing poisons which are sure to
accumulate in them unless constantly re-
moved by vigorous movement of the blood
and energetic breathing. The heightened
color of cheeks, the increased luster of eye
and general buoyancy of feeling which fol-
low a brisk walk on frosty morning
evidences of the benefits that are to be de-
rived from taking into the body an in
creased supply of oxygen through active
breathing.
While the lungs are to some extent sub
Ject to voluntary control, their action is,
like that of the heart, automatic. During
sleep, as well as during waking hours.
their movements are carried on with
rythmical regularity except when neees-
sarily interrupted by speech, and without
any conscious or voluntary effort.