Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-06
WITHOUT SLEEP?

A writer in the Examiner suggests
that sleep may be a relic OF primitive
barbarism, and that as the race ad-
vances NC shall learn to abolish slun-
Der and so to save and employ the
hours now wasted in nocturnal reposo.
The writer argues that we look UP
to the ant BECAUSE THE strangely ac-
tive creature manages to do without
sleep. This may be true OF some
ants. but our common red Utah species
sleeps not only at night and during
an afternoon siesta in the middle of the
hot summer days.
The paper referred to makes this
point: 1--WE human beings browse
through thirty years of our three score
and ten, but the ant is awake and
working all the time"
This is certainly an important con-
sideration, and II any races of ants
have. as claimed. solved the problem
OF getting along without sleep, there
may be a lesson and moral in it for
human beings
The writer proceeds 10 argue that;
IF the ant has managed to live
without sleep, IL he has acquired the
faculty OF lifelong wakefulness, why
should we not do as much in time? We
take IL for granted that sleep Is es-
sential, as we take everything else for
granted We used TO take II for grant
| ed that the earth was fiat, hut we have
| stopped that. Sleep was at one time
! forced upon man and other animals.
| . Since that time man has con-
| auered darkness Why should he not
! ultimately conquer sleep? We know
| that thin men, nervous, highly organ
| lied do with far less sleep than others.
| We know that old age requires less
! sleep than youth, Can we not cultivate
and develop the characteristics which
make sleep less necessary? Can't we
abolish sleep?"
we are afraid not. sleep is sup
posed TO be caused by a diminuton OF
the supply OF blood, that goes to the
brain. 1t Is therefore a physical phe-
nomenon. II is the body, not the mind,
that requires relaxation In the repoge
that comes with sleep.
Shakespeare believed that sleep is the
balm OF hurt minds, great natures Sec
ond course, CHIEF nourisher Ia life's
feast"
SO far as the mind itself Is concern
cd, It does not appear to be idle during
even the most resttul sleep, wherein
the body Is so much refreshed and
inyigoiatod. The mind, or soul OF man,
ass we may term II here. seems to en-
pluy itself with dreams during our
soundest sumberS H. then, our bodies
werc AS tlreless as our minds sleep
would be- unnecessary.
AS now constituted, our bodies are 30
lmperrecuy nourshed that they seem
10 be very laggard companions OF the
ever active, and apparently selt-active
soul
When this earthly body shall be eN.
! changed for spiritual one which the
Apostle declares in / Cor. Is, shall DO
one result of the resurrection. It would
appear that sleep viii be unnecessary.
II might be- TOO, that superior modes
OF living ana better food could greatly
reduce the hours necessary for sleep
even in this stage Of existence Ahol-
ish sleep says our contemporary, and
"our lives win be doubled In value, they
win DO complete. The hours NJ SUM
light win he devoted TO examination
and admiration Of natures beauties ON
this earth The hours Of darkness.
given up TO sleep no longer will be- dc,
voted 10 the study OF space. 10 inves-
tigation among other worlds.
! That Kind OF life Nill be Norlh while