PEOPLE WHO CANNOT SLEEP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 490, 10 August 1912, Page 7

PEOPLE WHO CANNOT SLEEP.

VALUABLE HINTS ABOUT INSOMNIA. , There is probably no more distressing: or serious malady than insomnia. ' In his book, "The Laws of Life and Health," Dr. Alexander Brice mentions that five absolutely sleepless nights are enough to cause death, and two may be enough to cause hullucinations, loss of memory, and all kinds of other troubles. The best advice for the treatment of insomania, perhaps, was that of the Irishman, who said he knew the one r.nd only cure—"Just go to sleep and forgei: all about it." Not easy, maybe, but sound advice all the same ; -lor' to worry about sleeplessness is fatal. Narcotics are, generally speaking equally bad. To earn sound sleep, in fact, there is only one way, and that is to follow Nature's system of destroying consciousness. Here is Dr. Brycc's plan—the plan of Nature. THE RELAXING PROCESS. "First, lie in the most comfortable position possible, and this is usually en the right side with the knees slightly Cexcd. Then, with the lips closed, but not compressed, drop the lower jaw and relax the tongue, gently shut the eyes, and draw the bedclothes over the exposed left ear. 'lbis chuts out light and sound, and relaxes _ some muscles which are usually forgotten. "Nov/ proceed to relax more muscles, beginning at the feet, legs, thighs, and arms imagining each in turn a heavy weight bearing down upon the bed ; and lastly, imagine that the eyes are looking far away to the distant horizon. The attention is so taken up with tha relaxing process that thinking soon ceases, and the imagination, instead of running riot at its sweet will, is set to play on something definitely soothing, and soon falls asleep "

VALUE OF TEMPERATURE

At the same time it should not be forgotten thct the bedroom should be flooded with pure air, and an important point to remember is that a higher temperature than 58deg. F.

increases the action of the heart

and warns sleep away ; a temperature too low congests the heart, tending also to wakefulness. It is best, io sleap on the right side, and in the morning .to rest on the left side. COLD AND INDIGESTION. Further valuable advice on the cure of insomnia is given iby Dr. Haydn Brown in his book entitled "'Sleep and Sleeplessness." "One frequent cause of insomnia," he says, "is cold feet, to avoid which closelyknitted socks and a brisk walk .before retiring are recommended. "Going to bed in a cold room after having spent the evening in a hot atmosphere, is to be condemned, as is also the practice of having too thin night attire and chilly sheets. Cold provokes indigestion, which keeps people awake ; therefore it behoves the thoughtful to keep cold out by whatever reasonable means the present century's inventions may afford us.

If the above-mentioned simple rules are followed lesser attacks of insomnia, and more particularly a difficulty in getting to sleep, will be obviated. Among the more serious eauses comes indigestipn. A homely., but effective, remedy is a glass of hot water on retiring, while in certain cases some carminative', such as pepperment—five drops on a small piece of biscuit —will induce sleep. Tea and coffee near bedtime are, of course, bad, and no strenuous exprcise or work should be indulged in immediately before retiring. Mental workers would often be wise to 'ease off.' as it were, by having half an hour or so's light reading before trying to settle to sleep."

Nerves, however, are one of the chief causes of insomnia, and medical science is now recognising the efficacy of the principle involved in such old wives' remedies as "counting sheep going throughi a gate," etc. This is really nothing 'less than autopypnotlc sleep-, which is a valuable preparation of the mind for real sleep.