Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-18
Just Why You Get Sleepy at Night;
Why Criminals Meier Dream,
and What Causes
Nightmares.

trees are apparently quite exceptional in this To-
spect-as one may judge from the fame OF pinsy
woods as insomnia quellers. Folks go to the pine
woods in focks just to sleep.
The air of piney woods, according 70 Prof
Mouneyrat's theory, is laden with "somnifer." 1t
attains such concentration there as cannon De
found anywhere else.
The automobile is also hailed AZ a great pro-
moter of seepness. After long ride in motor
car one is likely to be drowsy. At all events
sound sleep usually follows on going to bed
1t is, Of course, the wind that does it, But
why? Because swift and continuous current OF
air has bathed the body outside and inside. The
"somnifer" in the air has passed through the
lungs and into the blood stream, by which it has
been carried to all the tissues.
It must be trip along country roads, how
ever. Motoring in the city, for shopping or call
ing purposes, has not the same effect.
Driving in a carriage-f open vehicle
invites Sleep especially if the day be windy But
an automobile makes it's own breeze, rapid and
vigorous, that blows all the time. The important
point, however, is that the effect is not merely
sleepiness but the ability to sleep. Normal indi-
viduals are enabled to sleep longer and more
soundly. "Insomniacs" greatly helped, and
sometimes cured.
The atmosphere is commonly described
consisting of four-ffths nitrogen and one-fifth
oxygen. But it contains small quantities of
number of other gases, five Of which are definite
ly known. Quite possibly "somnfer" is an atmos-
pheric gas as yet unidentified by scientific re-
search.
If this be a fact, it may day be practi-
cable to separate 1t out and use it as harmless
and beneacent drug for inducing sleep. In stan
dardzed doses, it could be reckoned upon to give
as many hours Of sound and peaceful slumber as
might be desired with reaction to follow. 1t
would be q refuge for the weary and remedy
for fatigue.
Prof. Mouneyrat's observations have con-
- .,I-kLo
something else does actually exist an element
in the atmosphere. Its specific effect seems that
Of soothing the sympathetic nervous system. re-
taxing tension.
One of the mysteries of sleep dreams.
But what are dreams? Merely the subconscious
mind Selling it's opportunity when the reasoning
mind is at rest to take the reins and jump the
sleeper into all sorts of predicaments.
Generally some physical sensation sets the
subconscious mind going. For instance, the Slip
ping down of the blankets may start an Arctic
exploration expedition. Or even such a trivial &C.
cident as poking couple Of toes from under the
sheets on a cold night may produce dreadfuly
embarrassing dream in which the sleeper tries to
slip unobserved through the crowd while dressed
in a costume that would make decollette look like
being wrapped in feather beds.
Perhaps every one is familiar with the dis
tressing dreams produced by some dietetic indis-
erection 1t surely is realistic and thrilling ex-
perence while it lasts. Yet that little old man
with the hideous fanged mouth who hoped up
and down your chest and proceeded to grow big
ger and heavier, until, by a superhuman effort,
YOU succeed in endorsing him, was only gas.
The gas-distended stomach pushing away on
the diaphragm, COMPRISING the lungs with all
the strength of Preventative desperation.
The falling from height dream also has
a nhvscal basis, FOR scientists have shown that
this form of night mare invariably occurs during
the first few minutes after falling asleep. 1t is