Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-13
NOVEMBER Is, 1910.
SLEEP ALL YOU CAN

attempt to prove their assertions by
pointing to the few men of eminence
who have been able to get along very
nicely with but a few hours sleep in
each twenty-four, but If you are wise
you will not be deluded by any such
sophistry.
1t may be possible to sleep too much,
but-except in cases of the sleeping
sickness have yet to hear of such
an authentic case. The human body
needs a certain amount of rest, and
when it has had enough it is very
ready to say so.
For example, if you have been econ
omizing somewhat in the matter of
sleep-have been staying up so late at
night that there was no opportunity
to secure the usual amount of sleep
before the rising bell in the morning
it Is possible that you might go to ped
very early for several nights and sleep
right through until the usual time for
waking. At last, however, the time
will come when your sleep has been
made up. Then nature will attend to
the matter herself. She will wake you
earlier than usual and will insist that
you do not go to sleep again. The sim
pie fact is that you have had sleep
enough for the time being, and can
now adjust yourself to regular habits
once more.
Those who sleep eight hours in each
twenty-four live longer and keep their
health better than those who sleep only
six or seven hours. Seven hours might
do in an emergency, but six hours is
too short a period for sleep. Eight
hours is best, but insist upon having
at least seven. Anything less than that
means the accumulation of conditions
that are certain to result in disaster
sooner or later.
IL you are feeling i'll, or even "out of
Sorts" sleep all you can. If you can
take a day at home it is the height of
wisdom to spend it in bed, sleeping just
as often and for as long time as ma
ture will permit. Good physicians
realize that sleep is one of the greatest
of remedial forces, and they give strict
orders that the patient shall not be
wakened, even to receive medicine.
They realize that the healing power of
sleep is greater than that OF any drug
that is known to the modern system of
medicine, and as long as the sick per-
son can sleep naturally they have nope
for his recovery.
The quickest way to cure a cold is
to spend day in bed. The easiest way
to recover from any i'll is to let sleep
supply the remedy. Help nature all
you can-with hot baths and the right
sorts of food and drink-but let sleep
be the master physician, and recovery
will not be long delayed.
One of the youngest old men 1 ever
knew has made it a rule of life to de-
vote a few minutes to sleep every after
noon. Not all of us are so situated
that we can carry this rule into prac-
tice, but where it is possible it is
good habit to acquire. The man to
whom 1 refer closes the door of his
private office at a certain hour each
afternoon and for fifteen minutes he is
not "at home" to anybody. They may
wait for him if they like, but not one
of his office men would dream of in
terrupting his daily nap. He assures
me that his ability to ward off the
ravages of old age is due to the fact
that he has always taken a nap dur
ing the day. | have no doubt that
there is a basis of truth in the theory,
for even the briefest period of sleep
has a recuperative effect that cannot
be attained in any other way.
Those who know President Taft most
intimately assert tnat the reason why
he never gets tired is that he has
learned the value of sleep. He has the
ability to go to sleep easily, and he
exercises it at every opportunity.
Whenever he gets a chance he takes
a nap, and though he may sleep but
minute or two he derives much strength
from the brief repose.
All this goes to show that there is
little reason why we should be afraid
of sleeping too much, but that there is
every reason why We should strive not
to sleep too little. The man who gets
into such a condition that he can't
sleep is the man who needs looking
after, not the man who can put in
eipht hours or more of healthful sleep