Milford chronicle., 1957-09-20
Health Precautions

How illnesses, like the so-called
"Asiatic Flu, affect you and your
family may well depend on you
and your habits of health, accord
ing to the Medical Department of
The Equitable Life Assurance So
ciety.
Your general physical condition
and habits of living are often de-
termining factors in how you come
through a bout of illness, DIR. Nor
vim G. Kiefer, Chief Medical Direc-
tor OF The Equitable, said today. A
sound and moderate approach to
the fundamentals of good health
IS necessary. For example, are you
anu your family getting enough
sleep and rest, and regular exer-
else? Eating balanced meals for
daily stamina and energy? Prac-
tising the rules of cleanliness? At
tending promptly to medical and
dental needs?
Each of these principals for bet
ter health has long history of
investigation, accumulated know
ledge, and unanswered questions.
Take rest and sleep. Though its
basic mysteries are still unknown,
certainly everyOne-frOm ancient
Greek poet to present-day physio-
logist-has recognized how impor-
tant sleep can be to a feeling of
well-being and general health.
Scientific studies have not vet re-
Vealed whaf causes sleep-Whether
it is produced by 'sleep center"
in the brain, decreased flow of
blood to the brain, or sIeep-pro-
ducing chemicals, to mention a
few of the theories. Investigation
does show, however, that the sinI-
pie act of lying down gives your
body a chance to rest up, time to |
recuperate from strain and stress. !
But what is enough sleep? It |
varies from individual to indiYid- |
ual. One way to tell if you are
getting enough sleep is to answer
the question, Does your sleep
really rest yOu?" If you feel so re-
luctant to get up that you can talk
yourself into thinking you're com
ing down with something" and
ought to stay in bed all day-take
a closer look. Sometimes, your
closer look might show that you
ARE i'll and ought to stay in bed. |
But unless you are i'll, if this sort |
OF things happen to you often, it |
may mean that you aren't getting |
enough restful sleep. And if you
aren't, you should take a closer
look, too, at the possible reasons
why.
For instance, you may have
slept enough hours, but without
some fresh air in the room. or in
an uncomfortable bed, perhaps with
sagging or too-soft mattress. Or
perhaps you went to bed too strain
ed and tense from yesterdays ac- +
Iivities to relax fully for most of
the night.
Many Ople find a regular fou-
tine for bedtime helps them to get
TO sleep quickly and to relax more. II
A prolonged tepid tub bath often
'oothes a tired body and irritated
nerves and is a pleasant and re-
axing pre-sleeping custom. (Some
are stimulated, instead of
'Oothed, by bath before bed. When
his is the case, bathtime can come II
earlier and quiet story-time Just
before sleep) You may or may not
ike a hot drink before bedtime.
lut If you are a problem sleeper,
t may be better to choose nom
one like warm milk. A
lrm mattress, smooth sheets, and
lnWrinkled but not too tight blank
you need them-all help.
n addition, you might make sure
hat your bedroom is quiet and
lark. HI
Setting the alarm a little earlier
nay help too. If you allow time
10Th for dressing and for a good
breakfast, you're likely to find the
lay goes better. And weIl-paced
lay will help make sleeping easier.