The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-19

NDW 4OgK - OOs you Jump dS sudden noises? Are you dissatis- fled with life? Do you think you are getting old before your time ? trouble sleeping? If your answer to these questions and others like them is in the affirmatice, then perhaps you are a victim of the pace of modern life, according to Dr Edmund Jacobson, assistant professor of physiology at the University of Chicago, who has written a book entitled. You Must Relax" intended to show nerve harassed victims of hard work and hard play how they may combat the debilitating effects of their activities by controlling their output of physical energy.
 Dr Jacobson, who is the author of an earlier book on the subject for use by physicians, entitled 'sProgressive Relaxation, now presents his findings in a popular book for the layman. His method of relaxation, according to his pre- face, had it's origin partly in the laboratory and partly in certain personal experiences. t"1cven in 1907", Dr Jacobson says. Ut was evident that people generally were living in state of high tension, and lacked means to let down. They showed evidences of excessive effort, worry and fa- tgue, but evidently did not know how to shut off the flow of their energies. Hoping to come upon something in this direction. be- gan a series of investigate These investigations, extending over a period of a quarter of a century have resulted in important findings about the nature of ner- votisness and it's relationship whic! the book describes as a corrective for the strains of modern life.
 Too few people, even among those who are accustomed to what is generally known as leisure, are capable of relaxation, according to Dr Jacobson. He describes many types of individuals who. complain constantly of fatigue and over- wrought nervous systems who standing of the technique of relax ation, obtain considerably more pleasure from living than they now enjoy"
 The author recognizes no class distinctionss in his study of un- wieldy nerves and other common disorders. <. His book covers the nervous ailment of butcher and candlestick maker, as well as those of the society matron and bank president. He tells how brokers, sa1esnen, housewives, and motor men may store up energy they would otherwise waste and apply it to increased effectiveness in their work, with an abundant surplus left over for the joys of unhar- rassed leisure.
 Fundamentally, in the opinion of Dr Jacobson, much of the dis connfiture suffered by human be- ings in modern life, can be over- come by a knowledge of simple method of relaxation. His theory rests essentially on the basis that control of muscular activity leads to mental relaxation and he ex- plains how this may be accom- plished by the average layman. Leisure, he says, does not mean re- taxation for many people, because so few have learned how to ob- tain the complete rest and restor- ation of energy that should come with release from customary business, professional or social tasks. He tells of the successful application of programs of relax ation in overcoming in patient such disabilities as high blood pressure, sleeplessness, social self-conscious- ness, colitis and other common ailments which, he claims. often can be ascribed to inability to re- lax.
 Describes Tension Methods
 Tn his book, Dr Jacobson de- scribes in detail and illustrates methods used to measure nervous tension in patients, A muscle or nerve in the patient is paiplessly connected with an electrical appa- ratus so sensitive that even the faintest activity in that muscle or nerve cannot escape being photo- graphically recorded. The photo- graphs show how tense the patient is aud to what extent he can relax when. he tries. Most persons, the author finds. fail to relax com-. pletely. even when they try to rest. Highly nervous persons often cause the recording wire to vibrate ex- tremely. But tests made on such persons before and after a course of training to relax show a great change and prove that even ner- yous persons can learn to relax.
 Education Neglects Whole Man
 Dr Jacobson criticizes certain aspects of modern methods of medical education which, he claims, "produce in the student of