Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-17
YOURax
HEALTH
BY DR.. ROYAL S. COPELAND,
HOW TO AVOID Fatigue
cop,ztsh. 1881. v N.~.D.p< T..suea ma
Commissioner Of Health. New York City
Copyright. 1922, by Newspaper Feature servic


Once in a great while you meet a
person who claims he was never tired
in his life. Such individuals are rare,
indeed. Most of us get tired all too
often.
Modern life is so filled with tempt
atoms to oyerdo that fatigue is be-
coming more and more q factor in the
production of disease. By fatigue"
l mean WEAKNESS of the whole body
a general exhaustion from the over-use
Of mind or muscles.
It is probable that Nature intended
each OF us to perform each day such
an amount of work as would make US
at evening tired enough to seek re-
freshing slumber. But the great ma
jority get too little rest.
1t may be said that fatigue is the
foundation for almost every i'll to
which flesh is heir. The first serious
effect of fatigue is. noticed in the nerv-
GUS system. This may be evidenced in
sleeplessness. When you are honestly
tired o sleep well. But when you
are overtired or fatigued your nervous
system does not respond normally, and
sleeplessness results.
Keep Out of Ruts
When the causes of fatigue are not
~banashed, continuous neuralgia of some
sort may be noticed. 1t may take the
form of sciatica or lumbago, headache,
eyeache or neuritis. 1t viii be noted
that we have now to deal. not only with
fatigue from the original cause, but
by reason of pain and sleeplessness-
with a still further exhaustion OF the
system.
When once the nervous system is
d%eranged, it is only a step to some dis
t~urbance, and SO we have fatigue re-
sponsible not only for physical troubles
but for mental ills as well. Fatigue
lowers the resistance of the body SO
that it becomes easier for the disease
Everyone should have an occupation
that will afford him an outlet for his
energies. Good honest work, physical
or mental, is necessary for the we'll
being Of everyone. But you should not
carry your work beyond the point
which experience shows is enough. This
point can be recognized by anyone who
gives thought to his health.
There is always the temptation hen
you are engaged in work which inter-
ests you to overdo. but If you keep at
it too long the reaction is bound to
come, and it is SURE to be detrimental.
ANY sort Of work, physical or mental,
which is carried to a point where your
nerve force is exhausted, and your
heart flags is bound to result in IA
tigue. This is work carried beyond the
safety point into the danger zone.
Calamity awaits him who persists in
this practice.
Aside from avoiding overwork. "a
person who wishes to escape fatigue
should guard against getting in a rut.'
His recreation should be as dissirnilar
from his work-day routine as his tastes
will permit.
Get Plenty of SIsep
One is apt to get into the mental
state of the motorman who spent his
vacation riding on the street cars. Per
haps this motorman got the necessary
change and relaxation in having other
motormen start and stop the cars at
his command for a couple of weeks. but
is is safe TO say that he would have
benefited far more by a fishing trip
or a few ball games.
Moderation in eating, regularity in
bathing. and cultivation of tranquility
of mind. all have their value in pro-
tecting YOU from fatigue. but probably
the greatest of all safeguards is sleep
The tendency of modern man Is TO I'M
dersleep.
There are famous men who have
done great work, and who have lived
long on four or five hours sleep a
night. But they arc exceptions. Eight
hours sleep is n necessity for most
persons, and nine hours of peaceful
slumber is better for nearly every one
of us.