Medical essays / by T.R. Allinson.

  • Allinson, T. R. (Thomas Richard)
Date:
1915
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical essays / by T.R. Allinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    throwing out waste. Many will tell you positively that they cannot sleep if they have no supper, but a little patience and self-denial will soon prove otherwise. Excitement of any sort at night is also injurious, and tends to keep one awake. Thus, let a person receive a note by the last post to say that a fortune has been left him, or that some other piece of good luck has befallen him, and he will sleep but very little. In the same way much study at night causes wakefulness, as it sends too much blood to the brain, and stimulates it when it should be at rest. Novels of an exciting kind will cause wakefulness if read near bed- time. The condition of the blood leading to cold feet will irritate certain brain ce¥s and tend to wakefulness, and is easily cured by wearing yarm socks whilst in bed. CurE.—Avoid tea and coffee in the evening; use no intoxicants or tobacco. Tire the body daily by active exercise ; avoid food for at least three hours before going to bed. Do not study late at night, and avoid reading exciting tales or romances at such times. If possible, have a good walk just before going to bed, and a quiet read before turning in. A rubdown with a wet towel is also a good sleep inducer. Count and multiply figures until you tire the brain and sleep comes on, Ii youcannot sleep, do not gét “up and read ; better toss and turn than excite your brain. Beware of narcotics, as they induce unconsciousness, which is not sleep, and often destroy real sleep. If sleep will not come of its own accord, then do not try and force it, or evil will result. An afternoon nap will often make one wakeful at night ; if so, avoid such a practice. Laudanum, chloral, chloroform, and other narcotic poisons should never be indulged in, as they beget a liking for the habit ; an overdose may easily be taken, and death result. The unconsciousness they cause is not sleep, and there is no refreshed feeling after them as after natural sleep. A person will sleep better with his bedroom window open an inch or so, than with it shut. Feather beds cause wakeful- ness to some, as do heavy bed-clothes to others.
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