Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-08
WHEN SLEEP IS LOST 5agss-
j Rv n Addinoton Bruce


~NSOMNIACS who torment themselves with
narrowing thoughts Of the possible mental
- effects Of loss of sleep, should derive much
comfort from the results Of some recent ex
perments at Stanford university.
The experiments were expressly designed to
measure the influence exercised on the men
talty by prolonged wakeTu1ness. Nine Stan
ford students cooEerated in them, dividing
into two groups, each of which, at different
periods, remained continuously awake for
nearly fifty hours.
For more than a week before each wakeful
period the students we're daily given various
tests of memory power mental alertness, iudg-
ment ETC. Similar tests were made during
and at the close of the wakefulness period.
And in the meantime the tests likewise
given to other students not participating In
the abstinence from sleep.
The natural suppositiOn was that, by using
these other students as Controls" the dis
turbing effects of sleeLlessness would be more
readily perceived This was not what hap
pened,
No marked loss Of mental yigor was found
anong those who remained awake. And, on
the other hand there were among the con
trolls" themselves even more striking Varla-
tions due to such factors as lack Of interest
in the tests. eagerness to be done with them
and to be free for play, etc.
The opinion Of the experimenter, Mr.. II. X.
Laslett, is that possibly the tests were not
hard and fifty hours Of sleepessness too short
time to produce the expected results in the
way of efficiency loss. There is also the pos
;ibility, though, that without approaching it
the tested students got some rest even while
they seemed to be fully awake.
In Mr. Easett's report it is incidentally
noted "The subjects had few momentary
Authorizations during the course Of the second
night of seeplessness." Such Authorizations,
research long ago established, are OF fairly
common occurrence in states midway between
sleep and Wakefulness.
But these semi-sleepng states, it has also
been esta blshed, are themselves rest-states.
And there is reason to believe that they COM
monty occur when wakefulness is unduly pro-
onged.
Some years ago, to cite one instance in
proof, another university experimenter, pro-
lessor Patrick kept three colleagues awake,
not for fifty, but for ninety hours. Being
then allowed to go to bed, they found it
necessary to make up only from 16 to So per
cent Of the time lost from SLEEP.
This suggests, of course, that though I'M
aware Of the fact, they got some rest during
their insomnia. And actually, as Prof.
Patricks report shows, there were times when
their answers to questions proved that, while
believing themselves awake the subjects Of
the experiments were in semi-sleeping state
and dreaming.
Bearing in mind, too Mr. Laslett's find
ings, the probability would seem to be that
all insomniacs benefit in some degree from
this protective mechanism of the semi-sleep-
ing state. In that case they needlessly tor
ture themselves when they forsee mental col
lapse result of their insomnia.
And indeed observation goes to show, dread
Of insomnias dire consequences is in itself a
factor helping to prolong insomnia Many an
insomnia enjoys a return Of normal sleep
once he succeeds in banishing this dread from
his mind.
Copyright, 1924)