MORE SLEEP NEEDED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3004, 27 February 1926, Page 1

MORE SLEEP NEEDED.

FAMOUS DOCTOR’S VIEW

EIGHT HOURS AS THE

MINIMUM.

Expressing the view that most people are “sleep starved,” Sir James Crichton-Browne, the famous physician, thinks the sleep during the hours before midnight has greater restorative powers than that of the early morning. He also thinks that for the adult eight hours’ sleep is enough. In Sir James’ view, less and less sleep is needed as we grow older. The following table he suggests as an adequate average allowance at varying ages: At birth, 24 hours; three months, 20 hours; six months, 18 hours; five to ten years, 12 hours; ten to thirteen years, 11 hours; thirteen to thirty years, 9 hours; in adult life, 8 hours. Sir James believes that bodily and mental activity should be allowed to'slow up in the same way as an engine after a long run. He deplores the common habit of night brain work, and advocates inducing a tranquil state of mind during the evening hours. Home work for boys and girls he roundly condemns, as it is against Nature to stimulate the young mind at the end of the day.

It is certain that many people keep healthy with less sleep than Sir James advocates. Probably the average sleep ration is nearer six than eight hours for adults, and many remarkable men have contrived to do with very much less. For many years Lord Reading slept only four hours. Lord Haldane says that four hours gives him all the sleep he requires. Mr. Lloyd George, however, sleeps long hours, and he has the invaluable gift of being able to snatch sleep in all sorts of conditions. For instance, when travelling through England, on his last election compaign, when he addressed crowded meetings at every wayside station, he frequently slept in his railway carriage, sitting in a chair. Mr. H. G. Wells, who suffers from insomnia, bears out Sir James’ observations that much fine literature has been turned out during periods of insomnia. During insomnia the brain often works magnificenth —the evil effects come later. Sir William Open, on the other hand, believes in plenty of sleep. He goes to bed, he says, at ten and sleeps for twelve hours. Light novels, card and board games are the best sleep-producers, acording to Sir James CrichtonBrowne.