Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-26
DO YOU REALLY REST

HERE are many people-far 100 many
who know as little about the fine art
= of resting as did the young woman who
consulted a nerve specialist because OF per-
sistent symptoms of headache, Indigestion, and
semi-exhaustion for which her family physt-
clan could find no adequate cause
Neither did the nerve specialist find ade-
quate cause for them in any condition OF
bodily disease With the aid of an oculist, an
orthopedist, an X-ray photographer, and other
collaborators in the making of a group dag
nosis he satisfied himself that the young
woman was free from organic ailments. Also
she denied the existence Of psychic causes
worry, fear. jealousy, etc.-which might &C
count for the troubles of which she COM
planned.
at may very we'll be-" the specialist then
told her, "that all that you need is to give
yourself u good rest every day. Iou probably
are overwhelming yourself without knowing
it."
81 am sure that is not So" was his patients
reproachful response. For have myself
thought that 1 might have been OVERRIDING
and for weeks I have been going to bed early,
besides giving myself rest period every after
noon
"Have you really rested, thought" the spe-
cialist demanded. Then, by way of explana-
ton of his question, he quickly went on:
REALLY to rest one must relax mentally and
physically. It will not do to keep ones mind
in whfrl or ones body tense Ye, this is what
many do when they undertake to rest.
Lying Gown, they do not even let the pill
low support their head They strain their
neck muscles to hold up their head on the
pillow. Similarly they strain the trunk, leg
and arm MUSCLES as though the springs and
mattress Of the bed could not support them
unaided
"And their poor mind. How busy they
keep it at the time when they fool themselves
into imagining they are resting. All over the
world their mind races, innumerable are the
themes with which it occupies ITSELF instead
of being given the momentary holiday it needs
'This 1 will venture to say is your plight
And the sooner you learn that resting means
relaxing and is impossible without relaxing
the sooner you will feel no need of seeking a
physicians aid.
''To train yourself to relax make it a point
whenever you sit down or lie down, to think
of yourself as relaxed. Mentally command, II
turn, your neck, your shoulders, your arms
your back, your legs to relax. Picture them
to yourself as relaxed.
'In accordance with the law that ideas tenC
| to express themselves in appropriate bodily
movements, this systematic thinking OF youl
| body as relaxed will bring about the desired
| bodily relaxation. At the eame time yor
| will become more and more quleScent men
tally Then you will rest in way that truly
refreshes and reinvigorates you.
"Try this, and repor, the result"
The report, in letter was terse and to the
point 81 am gaining every day was the
substance. Il never appreciated before how
| beneficial rest could be, how little 1 really
| knew about resting"
The world aboulds in people similarly sit
uated, people who need only adopt similar
| course to free themselves from a semi-inva
1idism which has fastened upon them chiefly
because they have failed really to- rest.