The Washington herald., 1909-08-18
THE PROBLEM OF SLEEP

From tho Philadelphia Ledger.
The women who are troubled with IN
somnia are Few. Those who are troubled
with the desire 10 sleep overtime are
legion.
The sleepyheads insist that we are
obeying the law Of nature when we sat
isfy the longing for Just that little nap.
which always prolongs itself into an
hour or so. Yet those who make a study
or the human body, the brain. and lts
needs insist that we stultlfy our energies
by needless sleep, that Il is quite IN
necessary for Us to believe that our
health depends on getting all the sleep
we want
i IS quite true that each individual
needs certain hours OF g. one woman
can do on seven hours, another would
be exhausted and irritable through the
day on only that amount.
One woman can 20 10 bed at midnight
and arise at in the morning. seemingly
refreshed and active. another would go
20 sleep In her chair II compelled 20 sit
UP each night until y o'clock.
No two persons are alike IN this Qucs-
tion of sleep, and each must, 10 a Ger
tain extent, make tie laws. or respect
the laws. which govern her especial case.
But granting this. there IS such
thing as self-indulgence being mistaken
for the law OF nature. Just why Il IS an
effort C get Up IN the morning Il would
take q specialist 70 debate: but T. IS a
fact
Those few and fortunate persons who
delight IN arising early should have sue
fr
notices are condensed truth
The great and rebeIious majority are
compelled 20 get up through persuasion.
either by an alarm clock or urgent neces-
sity
The thing 20 DO IS 70 get Up. whether
one wants 20 argue the question OF not
Il IS not healthy 10 sleep through the
early morning hours. and only illness
should salve ones conscience when eat
ing breakfast in bed
Not because one IS afraid OF being
called lazy; not because one breads the
cry OF shame from sturdier folk. but
because II does not work out well as a
health factor. Il has been tried and II
has failed.
Il is better 10 go 20 bed at 10 O'Clock
every night and arise az : in the morning
than 10 retire AT midnight and get up az
I 3 o'clock or later.
] Those who get up before s o'clock DO so
/ from Sleep,essness or necessity. but Il IS
not necessary for health. One wise man
says that there is always just so much
work for every one 10 do in the world.
and II you get up before o'clock you do
4 just that much more work.
| II a woman persuades herself that II IS
/ necessary for her TO sleep until 10 O'Clock
IN Ia gha ~r-
/ the day and realize how stampeded by
w'rk she was because she began so late.
| Her waking hours are c mad rush from
noon until bedtime. She IS so tired when
/ ii is over that her extra two hours OF
/ 'pandering 10 nature has harmed more
/ than helped her health.
Every doctor who studies nerves and
their influence over the mind VIII advise
a woman TO take eight or nine hours
sleep every night no longer. and compel
/ herself to get up at the end OF that time
/ To Offset any sleepiness she should sleep
/ for half an hour IN the afternoon.
/ The best time is about ( o'clock, and II
| the afternoon is a strenuous time with
/ her then she can take her nap before
dinner. This viii refresh and give her an
appetite.
! II too much sleep deadens one, remem-
Der that too little sleep ages one as moth
| ing else does but continued Ill health.
| Trying 10 get along on six hours sleep or
! less takes ten years of a woman's life IN
{ looks, just at the age she needs most to
/ look young
/ II throws her digestion out Of tune.
dulls her perceptions, and makes her I'll
tempered and moody.
! The problem of the right amount OF
sleep is therefore vital II Il one Of the
ruling moral as we'll as physical factors
in life.