To Induce Sleep. — Assuming that the nerves and body are in a normal condition, sleep may be induced by anything which tends to produce the results noted in slumber. As one of the characteristics of sleep is the absence of sensation, removing the sources of external impressions helps to induce sleep. The absence of light and sound and of the muscular sensa tions produced by any sort of move ment all assist.
Anything which causes the blood to retreat from the brain and settle about the digestive tract is helpful. Hence earnest thought or worrying should be given up if possible. Monotonous sounds that attract the attention, as the ticking of a clock or the sound of running water, by diverting the mind from other thoughts, may have this effect; hence the common suggestion to count monotonously from 1 to 10 or 1 to IGO and over again, or to count imaginary sheep jumping over a gate, is not without reason. But in many cases these suggestions have exactly the opposite effect to that in tended by stimulating rather than quieting the activity of the brain.
Perhaps there is no better rule when there is a tendency to nervous ness than to let the mind fashion cas tles in the air. To make up stories and imagine conditions of an ideal sort such as exist only in fairy tales or in our dreams, produces a mental condition favorable to sleep, and the transition from day dreams to those of slumber is natural and easy.
On the physical side it may be questioned whether fasting by going without one's supper is advisable. An overfilled stomach may lead to insomnia by causing, indigestion, but an empty stomach may produce the same effect. Hence a moderate meal of good food, easily digestible, is ad visable, as the process of digestion itself tends to draw the blood to the stomach and occupy it until sleep comes.
Stimulants, as tea, coffee, or alco hol, which promote the circulation, should be avoided at night. A short
walk before retiring to bring on a natural fatigue may be helpful. A glass of hot milk is found beneficial by some.
Late hours and excitement, as at tending theaters, evening parties, in dulging in stimulants, exciting read ing matter, and games of chance, should be avoided. A warm sponge bath or a full body bath in warm water of the temperature of 95° to 100° and lasting fifteen or twenty minutes is especially helpful to ner vous persons.
Or imitate a condition which oc curs in sleep by turning the eyeballs upward as if attempting to look into the brain. is not always effec tive, as with some persons the effort stimulates and irritates the brain and thus defeats itself, but with others it produces the desired result.
It is well known that the best sleep is that which takes place during the earlier hours of the night; during the latter part of the night sleep is light er. Toward morning a state occurs between sleeping and waking which it is not desirable to prolong. The hab it of springing to one's feet in the morning as soon as consciousness re turns is an exceedingly desirable one, and if it appears that one is not suf ficiently rested, sleep should be sought earlier on the following night.
To Prevent Sleeplessness.—Take a warm bath just before retiring. Or walk for half an hour in the open air.
Or wet a cloth in cold water and lay it on the back of the neck. Or rub the body gently with a flesh brush for ten or fifteen minutes. Or drink a cup of hot milk on retiring, or a glass of buttermilk. Or drink a tum blerful of water containing a tea spoonful of magnesia and a few drops of aqua ammonia or sal volatile.
To Sleep on Hot Nights.—Lay a strip of clean matting between the mattress and the sheet. This will make the bed much cooler. Use linen sheets in preference to cotton ones.