Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-11-23
HOW TO INDUCE SLEEP
AVOID ALL oPIATEs AND OTHER
FORMS OF DOPE"
Light Meal Followed by Moderate
Exercise, Well Aired Room and
Warm Feet Usually VIII Bring
Peaceful SIumber.

There are sound hygienic methods
| by which sleep may be induced. In
/ cursions into the realms Of patent
medicines, opiates. and all sorts of
slumber eIixirs which are summed up
as dope" should be avoided. But
the moral of this lesson has been
pointed over and over, yet little has
been said about natural methods of
wooirg sleep. Under this head does
not come the various mental contriv-
| ances such as counting sheep" or re-
citing the multiplication table.
Oxygen is as necessary to the body
cells during the hours of sleep as at
any other time. Perhaps in the case
Of children it is even more necessary.
For them sleep means the time of
anabolism, growth and repair. The
old prejudice against open windows
still exists, in spite of the campaigns
OF education In the newspapers and
IN the schools. Dust in the rooms,
an imaginary draft, the fear of colds,
and many other stupid reasons are
advanced in excuse of this pernicious
prejudice
The organs of the body also should
be considered, and no excessive work
should be given the heart or digestive
organs before retiring to rest. High
pillows lead to an increase in the
hearts force at a time when the
heart should have the lightest work.
Pillows that are too low may cause
headaches, and even sleeplessness.
through an excess of blood being In
the brain. Heavy late suppers are
unwise, but light meal, followed by
such moderate exercise as q short
walk, is generally conducive to sound
sleep. The light meal causes
withdrawal of blood from the head
into the stomach area and the body
generally. The body is therefore
warmed, and this Is important.
Cold extramities, particularly cold
feet. cause sensory stimulations,
which produce sleeplessness. often
Tor hours. People who suffer in this
way should take means to keep theif
feet warm artifcially by using sleep
ing socks, or slipper baths, or by the
use OF hot water bottles, and by
sleeping between blankets,
1t is, of course, fatal to sound
sleep to go to bed with anything on
the mind" In these sensational and
pleasure-loving days we often retire
TO rest after receiving a long series
Of vivid sensations which often ac.
count for hours of sIeepIess tossing.
Sometimes this may be relieved by
a gentle friction of the head with a
medium hard brush.
We cannot hope to always drive
away the disturbing sensory i'm
pulses, for, built as man is. 1oy. suf-
fering' grief, responsibility and worry
tlast, but by no means leastl. must
find their place in his life at some
time or other. Life without these
would be at best a mere existence
and SO we must pay the bill at such
times. And even then fatigue must
cause sleep ere long.
1t may be wise not to be too mar
tcular about noises when little chill.
dren are asleep. At some future time
they may be thankful for learning to
sleep while q certain amount of noise
Is gooing on. For instance. there Is
no reason why they should not be ar
customed to sleep while a piano is
being played in another room in the
house.-Spokane Spokesman-Review.