Evening star., 1948-11-23
This and That
BIZ Charles Z. TraceDeH

Latest use of television set Is to put an
insomnia TO sleep.
1t 10 being discovered that staring at the
bright light will do just that
Persons who have difhculty in sleeping may
find that 1t Is easy. once they get television
receiver.
The principle Is the same as that used by the
hypnotist.
The old fashioned hypnotist used series
OF passes" with the hands, aided by glar-
ing eyes, and q certain amount OF sheer
hokum but always used o bright object.
The modern hypnotist dispenses with the
hocus !pocus, but retains the bright light, or
shining object, such as end OF q metal PEN
Gil, etc.
The hot end Of big tube, on which the
television image Is caught is being found TO
have solsce in its brightness for the hard-to-
sleep person.
1t may be exciting, watching the prize
fight, to q normal person, but to the one who
has difficulty getting to sleep, 1t will have .
different effect.
For this use, therefore, the set Is best
placed where the screen (hot end Of tube)
Is easily seen from the bed.
1t is interesting to note that the sounds
accompanying even the most exciting sporting
events will not prevent the one needing sleep
from getting it.
staring at the bright light makes the eyes
tired
Involuntarily the eyes seek refuge from
brightness. The mind, already needing sleep,
Is glad, evidently, to take advantage of the
relaxation SO easily found.
The result is sleep, sometimes for the first
time In q good while.
Not every patient, OF course, will respond
to this subtle sort OF medicine.
1t Is interesting to contemplate what would
result II real hypnotist was televised, and
49, - d. Ill
eyes, in addition to the bright light ut which
the members Of his audience were staring.
1t might be possible for really good man
to put his entire audience to sleepl
There is another way in which the tele-
vision screen works in bringing sleep.
The incessant action, which the patient in
q rscumbent position watches, Is somewhat
akin to the old dodge of counting sheep"
This counting, or watching, Is tiring and
causes the eyes to close, at last
Eye closure, Of course, Is not in itself enough
to make one 60 to sleep, else there would
be no lack Of sleep.
Unfortunately, getting to sleep Is not that
easy.
Sometimes one goes to sleep easily enough,
only to wake and be unable to get back to
sleep.
There probably Is more worry by such per-
sons than even by those who fail to drop
asleep at all
Most of the worry attending lack of sleep
is unnecessary. 1t has been discovered that
many persons do not need much sleep, any,
way, and that practically all except few very
severe cases do get oil the sleep they need,
no matter what they think about 1t personally
Relaxation Of the muscles is one of the best
ways OF wooing sleep. This Is done by the
mind, and this thinking, in ITSELF tires the
would-be sleeper
BY thinking relaxation first to one set of
muscles, and then to another with special
care given to the eyes, jaw, mouth and throat,
fails
Thinking relaxation is not very difficult.
The muscles, say of the eyes, are "let CO."
and then one goes on to another set, but
must come back to the eyes again. where
the muscles will be found to have frightened
up again. but not much so as before.
In this way, the one seeking sleep never
knows when he finds 1t. sleep being that
elusive.