Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
A HEALTH TALK.
Too Little Sleep of the Sound and
"Resty" Sort.
(From the Medical RecordD

/ (From the Medical Record)
| Civilized man has lost his natural in
dicator for the reed OF sleep, namely.
abundant muscular exercise pure and
simple, unmarried by accompanying nerve
| fatigue. We are apt eternally to forget
that our brains were evolved as organs
of motor co-ordna ton, and that lacking
this kind % exercise. their metabolisui
may be deranged. We are apt 10 cav
rowser and Tabby lazy animals. but no
Psychologist doubts that they live moro
hygienioally in respect OF sleep than do
their human masters or mistresses, al
though many Of these domestic pets, too,
that are city-livcrs. get only a small frac-
ton OF the exercise they really require.
But like their Wild brothers in tho for
est and ON the plains, they sleep much
and often. In the cities well-to-do null
titudos 1.-Two and die without experience
Of the pure delight OF unahulterated
muscle-fatiguc and Of the sudden and
deep sleep TINT normally follows a day OF
purely muscular work. Here. then, is one
reason why we sleep too little and too
i'll. save when, perhaps, in camp on our
vacations in the Wild. Should not these
experiences teach us something7
Perhaps the second most efficient rea-
sor why We sleep so little is the general
-ee Of sray-matter stimulants-coffe
tea. cocoa, tobacco. alcohol, all or one
or more In day. Largely because at
times they have enjoyed good sleep i'm
mediately after taking these, many I'M
medical persons are firmly convinced
that they are not kept awake by these
stlmulants, when, In reality, as n rule
they are or course. at times one may
sleep il spite of them, for reasons that
no one can as yet explain More active
body Catholicism would rid the body more
promptly OF the alkalolds, etc, and so
minimize their harm. AS 1t Is thrcngs
of 50 ntary people are kept from feel
ing normally sleepy at the proper time by
these stimulants to the ns.stent associ-
aiicn OF Ideas. Thus the physiological
bedtime is ignored In favor OF an ar,,-
fetal hour dedicated by drugs moro or
less injurious. somnolently speaking
A third reason obviously Is the even
ing entertainment habit despite the ne.
cessity of early rising for work. How
numerous are the theatre-mad and the
opera-mad and the bridge-mad In our
dav and generation needs no emphasis
md they unduiy waste the sleep time.
a last reason that may be recalled for
cur sleep deficiency is the vicious circl,
Of neTvs cell exhaustion that makes sleep
scanty and incomplete. The causes OF
this arc both too trite and too numerous
for proper discussion here, but among
them are some that arc underest imated
For example. the almost continual light ana
sound stimulation trhythmic electric
signs. milkmen. autohorns, etc.,) to
which jewellers Of the large towns are
now. day and night. subject would wear
out tho strongest mechanism. whilo GER
tainly the neurones are tho most dellcato
of all known orgHns--unless II be the ear
and the eye. Here we are victims OF n
negligence OF physiological health which
a later age will look back upon as only
Just removed by fnw yoars from thu
renaissance Of common sense.