Health Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 92, 9 July 1927, Page 16

Health Notes

SLEEP NATURE’S CHIEF NOURISHMENT (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Shakespeare portrays sleep. the kindly companion of life in those profound lines, "Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleaye of care, the death of each day’s life, sore labour's bath, balm of hurt minds, great Nature’s second course, chief nourisher in life’s feast.” This eulogy has been fully justified. Sleep may be defined as a mttural condition of insensibility, more or less complete, recurring normally (for the adult) and lasting from six to eight or nine hours. The infant may sleep 20 hours out of each 24; the growing child may take 12 hours at a stretch. After middle age sleep tends to become lighter, that is. more easily broken and of shorter duration. IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP It requires no great consideration to make it obvious that without sleep healthy mental and bodilv life is impossible. It is known that a person can live a few minutes without air, a few days without water, and a few weeks without food, but although he can live several weeks without food he cannot live nearly as long without sleep. A legal punishment among the Chinese is death by deprivation of sleep, and the end comes in a few days. PRODUCTION OF SLEEP Almost every rule of hygiene and right living could be quoted as a sleepproducer. The loss of sleep should not be considered as a forerunner of something dreadful. Persons often get much more sleep than they think they do. On the other* hand, restless and insufficient sleep should not be accepted as an incurable condition. No one can be at the high point of efficiency and well-being unless the brain cells have their required rest, and in some cases sleeplessness may be the early symptoms of chronic disease requiring medical attention. Insomnia or sleeplessness may be due not so much to overwork itself as to the manner of working, and par-

ticularly the foolish and utterly unnecessary habit of not shutting down the business or professional part of the brain works for a reasonable time before retiring. Intellectual overindulgence is a most unnecessary and unwise form of excess, the consequences of which are often most disastrous. The ambitious student should particularly guard himself in this respect. To go to bed with the brain absorbed over any subject is a mistake, and it is better for the individual to put in half an hour at least after working, over a novel of just sufficient interest to keep the attention without engrossing it. PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE A normal functioning brain can sleep under almost any circumstance, but once there has been trouble, and the habit of fitful sleeping acquired, certain precautions are necessary. Black, opaque shades, shutting out the early morning light are sufficient to check the habit of waking up early. As a rule light sleepers should avoid late suppers. On the other hand it will often help if one is restless to rise and munch a cracker biscuit or take a drink of warm milk. The habit of rising and restlessly moving round at night, however, should be avoided. Eye-strain is a fertile cause of insomnia. Restless sleep, as do headaches, calls for thorough examination of the eyes. . Drugs should be taken only in the extreme necessity and under the supervision of the family doctor. IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

Sometimes want of sleep is accounted for by a real want of physical exercise. Sunlight, fresh air, and occupations with interest in the open air, for example, golf—are recommended. The value of this game to the business and professional man is that he cannot introspect; he must take a continual series of fresh mental adjustments; he is taking moderate exercise in the open air, takes his own time, does as much or as little as he feels inclined. Outdoor sleeping usually promotes sound, refreshing sleep. Bathing and warm baths, apart from being a hygienic necessity, are essential if normal sleep is to be maintained. SLEEPING QUARTERS The environment in which we seek sleep is of importance. The bedroom should be well ventilated to eliminate certain organic impurities from the sleeper, which, indeed, are poisons; and further to attack various organisms, particularly the bacillus of tuberculosis which are restricted from flourishing in pure air. If possible the bedroom should be the best room in the house, and the one that receives the most sun. The bed should be of the type used in hospitals. The bedclothes should be daily well aired and the mattress periodically exposed to the sun. To bad ventilation in the bedroom may be ascribed that frequently-noted unsociability at the breakfast table. SLEEP REQUIREMENTS At puberty, adolescence, and all climacterics, there is special need of attention to secure that amount of sleep which each particular case needs. Regularity in time and duration of sleep is essential to the growing organism. Remember: Sleep is a necessity for human life. If you neglect the rules of hygiene and right living, sleep may neglect you. During sleep the various organs of the body receive nourishment, and this is Specially so of the

nervous system. Regularity in tim« and duration of sleep is important Beware of mental over-indulgence, »■ it is often the cause of insomnia. Finally, engage the mind in pleasant thoughts and learn to love fresh air. sunshine and physical exercise, and the best of nil heritages—sound, refreshing sleep will be yours.