Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/644

 6i8 ii i iiiii i imiiiii ii iii i i i i Conducted by ELIZABETH SLOAN CHESSER, M.B. This important section of EVERY Woman's Encyclopedia is conducted by this prominent lady doctor, who will give sound medical advice with regard to all ailments from childhood to old age. When completed this section will form a complete reference library in which will be found the best treatment for every human ill. Such subjects as the following will be fully dealt with : Home Nursing Infants' Diseases Adults'' Diseases Homely Cures Consumption Health Hints Hospitals Health Resorts First Aid Common Medical Blunders The Medicine Chest Simple Remedies, etc., etc. Continued from page JiZ, Part 4 SLEEP AND SLEEPLESSNESS The Cause of Sleep — Reasons for Insomnia — How to Cure Insomnia — Tranquility of Mind is Indispensable — Never Take Drugs, and Avoid Becoming a Slave to Worry irritability and impaired capacity for work. It is most important for every woman to have a fair allowance of restful sleep every night of her life. Nothing spoils a woman's looks and health more than persistent under-sleeping. I have heard women pride themselves on the fact that, like Napoleon, they could do with five hours' sleep at night. Almost anyone could — for a time. Most of us can work at high pres- sure and curtail our hours of sleep without apparent ill-results in the present. But the time comes when Nature exacts payment. We find sooner or later that we are more easily tired, that we are subject to headache and other nervous signs. We may realise that we need more sleep, and try to get it. But it is not easy to break a habit once it is formed, and the woman who has made a habit of going to bed at 12.30, or even 2 a.m., may find that she will only toss about sleepless for a couple of hours if she goes to bed at ten. The people who work hard especially require plenty of sleep. The old adage about the number of hours requisite for a man, a woman, and a fool must have been written by a fool. The woman who can get into the habit of having eight or nine hours' sleep will find that she can get through more work in the twenty-four hours than if she limits her sleep to seven hours a night. Sleep is the best restorative, the one preventive of nervous ills. We can work hard without risk so long as we sleep enough. So let the women who have to work either in the home or in the world outside have their sleep at all costs. SLEEP is a natural physiological process, during which nervous and intellectual recuperation takes place. The actual cause of sleep is still an open question. We know that during normal sleep the brain is comparatively anaemic, and the activity of the higher centres at least is suspended for a time. What it is that actually induces sleep, however, we cannot say. We sleep when we are tired, or, at least, we ought to. It is thought that certain products of fatigue accumulate in the blood during our waking hours, and that these act in a soporific manner upon the brain. On the other hand, over-fatigue will prevent sleep. Many cases of sleeplessness are due to very slight causes. The habit of quiet, restful, soothing sleep can be acquired. Insomnia is, in nine cases out of ten, a bad habit which has been allowed to form after two or three wakeful nights due to very simple causes. The one condition necessary for restful sleep is a quiet state of mind, with certain physical essentials in addition. Excess of mental work, anxiety and worry are frequent causes of sleeplessness. Cold feet, ill-ventilated bedrooms, and an un- comfortable bed are also conducive to insomnia. It is most important to keep the brain free from active exertion before going to bed. Heavy mental work late at night must therefore be avoided. Many a woman sleeps badly because she takes her worries to the portals of sleep, and plans out her next day's work at the very moment her mind should be composed and restful. The fear of sleeplessness seems to keep sleep at bay. " I know I shall not sleep," says the nervous, over-strained victim of in- somnia, and from mere force of auto-suggestion, sleep is banished. Sleeplessness is very common at the present time. This might be, with a good deal of truth, designated the age of insomnia. In its worst form it will bring on melanchoUa and mental instability. In its milder forms it will produce The Cause and Cure of Sleeplessness Now, if you have allowed yourself to acquire a sleepless habit, how can sleep be regained quickly and naturally ? First, you must firid out the reason why you sleep badly. Nerve strain and worry will cause the habit of sleeping badly to. start. Certain