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A common custom prevails of warming the bed be-net-work. Some persons wear worsted, or flannel caps, fore going to sleep. This enervating practice should be abandoned except with delicate people, or when the cold is very intense. It is far better to let the bed be chafed by the natural heat of the body, which, even in severe weather, will be sufficient for the purpose, provided the clothing is abundant.

We ought never to sleep overloaded with clothes, but have merely what is sufficient to maintain a comfortable warmth.

When a person is in health, the atmosphere of his apartment should be cool; on this account, fires are exceedingly hurtful, and should never be had recourse to, except when the individual is delicate, or the weather intolerably severe. When they become requisite, smoke must be carefully guarded against, as fatal accidents have arisen from this cause.

The window-shutters ought never to be entirely closed, neither ought they to be kept altogether open. In the first case, we are apt to oversleep ourselves, owing to the prevailing darkness with which we are surrounded; and in the second, the light which fills the apartment, especially if it be in the summer season, may disturb our repose, and waken us at an earlier hour than there is any occasion for. Under both circumstances, the eyes are liable to suffer; the darkness in the one instance, disposes them to be painfully affected, on exposure to the brilliant light of day, besides directly debilitating them-for, in remaining too much in the gloom, whether we be asleep or awake, these organs are sure to be more or less weakened. In the other case, the fierce glare of the morning sun acting upon them, perhaps for several hours before we get up, does equal injury, making them tender and easily affected by the light. The extremes of too much and too little light must, therefore, be avoided, and such a moderate portion admitted into the chamber as not to hurt the eyes, or act as too strong a stimulus in breaking our slumbers.

During the summer heats, the covering requires to be diminished, so as to suit the atmospheric temperature; and a small portion of the window drawn down from the top, to promote a circulation of air; but this must be done cautiously, and the current prevented from coming directly upon the sleeper, as it might give rise to colds, and other bad consequences. The late Dr Gregory was in the habit of sleeping with the window drawn slightly down during the whole year: and there can be no doubt that a gentle current pervading our sleeping apartments, is in the highest degree essential to health.

Nothing is so injurious as damp beds. It becomes every person, whether at home or abroad, to look to this matter, and see that the bedding on which he lies is thoroughly dry, and free from even the slightest moist

ure.

By neglecting such a precaution, rheumatism, colds, inflaminations, and death itself may ensue. Indeed these calamities are very frequently traced to sleeping incautiously upon damp beds. For the same reason, the walls and floor should be dry, and wet clothes never hung up in the room.

We should avoid sleeping in a bed that has been occupied by the sick, till the bedding has been cleansed and thoroughly aired. When a person has died of any infectious disease, not only the clothes in which he lay, but the couch itself ought to be burned. Even the bed-stead should be carefully washed and fumigated. Delicate persons who have been accustomed to sleep upon feather-beds, must be cautious not to exchange them rashly for any other.

On going to sleep, all sorts of restraints must be removed from the body; the collar of the night-shirt should be unbuttoned and the neckcloth taken off. With regard to the head, the more lightly it is covered the better on this account, we should wear a thin cotton or silk night-cap; and this is still better if made of

but these are never proper, except in old or rheumatic subjects. The grand rule of health is to keep the head cool, and the feet warm; hence, the night-cap cannot be too thin. In fact, the chief use of this piece of clothing is to preserve the hair, and preserve it from being disordered and matted together.

Sleeping in stockings is a bad and uncleanly habit. By accustoming ourselves to do without any covering upon the feet, we shall seldom experience cold in these parts, if we have clothing enough to keep the rest of the system comfortable; and should they still remain cold, this can easily be obviated by wrapping a warm flannel cloth around them, or by applying to them, for a few minutes, a heated iron, or a bottle of warm water. The posture of the body must be attended to. The head should be tolerably elevated, especially in plethoric subjects; and the position, from the neck downwards, as nearly as possible horizontal. The half-sit ting posture, with the shoulders considerably raised, is injurious, as the thoracric and abdominal viserea are thereby compressed, aud respiration, digestion, and circulation, materially impeded. Lying upon the back is also improper, in consequence of its tendency to pro duce nightmare. Most people pass the greater part of the night upon the side, which is certainly the most comfortable position that can be assumed in sleep. According to Dr A. Hunter, women who love their husbands generally lie upon the right side. This interesting point I have no means of ascertaining, although, doubtless, the ladies are qualified to speak decidedly upon the subject. I have known individuals who could not sleep except upon the back; but these are rare cases.

I have mentioned the necessity of a free circulation of air. On this account, it is more wholesome to sleep single, than double, for there is then less destruction of oxygen; and the atmosphere is much purer and cooler. For the same reason, the practice, so common in public schools, of having several beds in one room, and two or three individuals in each bed, must be deleteriWhen more than one sleep in a single bed, they should take care to place themselves in such a position as not to breath in each other's faces. Some persons have a dangerous custom of covering their heads with the bedclothes. The absurdity of this practice needs

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Before going to bed, the body should be brought into that state which gives us the surest chance of dropping speedily asleep. If too hot, its temperature ought to be reduced by cooling drinks, exposure to the open air, sponging, or even the cold bath; if too cold, it must be brought into a comfortable state by warmth; for both cold and heat act as stimuli, and their removal is necessary before slumber can ensue. A full stomach, also, though it sometimes promotes, generally prevents sleep; consequently, supper ought to be dispensed with, except by those who, having been long used to this meal, cannot sleep without it. As a general rule, the person who cats nothing for two or three hours be fore going to rest, will sleep better than he who does. His sleep will also be more refreshing, and his sensations upon waking much more gratifying. The Chinese recommended brushing the teeth previous to lying down: this is a good custom.

Sleeping after dinner is pernicious. On awaking from such indulgence, there is generally some degree of febrile excitement, in consequence of the latter stages of digestion being hurried on: it is only useful in uld people, and in some cases of disease.

The weak, and those recovering from protracted illnesses, must be indulged with more sleep than such as are vigorous. Sleep, in them, supplies, in some measure, the place of nourishment, and thus becames most powerful auxiliary for restoring them to health. Much repose is likewise necessary to enable the system to recover from the effects of dissipation.

Too little and too much sleep are equally injurious. Excessive wakefulness, according to Hippocrates, prevents the aliment from being digested, and generates crude humours. Too much sleep produces lassitude and corpulency, and utterly debases and stupifies the mind. Corpulent people being apt to indulge in excessive sleep, they should break this habit at once, as, in their case, it is peculiarly unwholesome. They ought to sleep little, and that little upon hard beds.

At whatever period we go to sleep, one fact is certain, that we can never with impunity convert day into night. Even in the most scorching seasons of the year, it is better to travel under the burning sunshine, than in the cool of the evening, when the dews are falling and the air is damp. A case in support of this statement, is given by Valangin in his work on Diet. Two colonels in the French army had a dispute whether it was not most safe to march in the heat of the day, or in the evening. To ascertain this point, they got permission from the commanding officer to put their respective plans into execution. Accordingly, the one with his division marched during the day, although it was in the heat of summer, and rested all night-the other slept in the day-time, and marched during the evening and part of the night. The result was that the first performed a journey of six hundred miles, without losing a single man or horse, while the latter lost most of his horses, and several of his men. It now becomes a question at what hour we should retire to rest, how long our rest ought to continue, and when it should be broken in the morning. These points I shall briefly discuss, in the order in which they stand.

The practice of sleeping in the open air, cannot be too strongly reprobated. It is at all times dangerous, especially when carried into effect under a burning sun, or amid the damps of night. In tropical climates, where this custom is indulged in during the day, it is not unusual for the person to be struck with a coup-de-soleil, or some violent fever; and in our own country, nothing is more common than inflammations, rheumatisms, and dangerous colds, originating from sleeping upon the ground, either during the heat of the day, or when the evening has set in with its attendant dews and vapours. As respects the repose of children it may be remarked that the custom of rocking them asleep in the cradle, is not to be recommended, sanctioned though it be by the voice of ages. This method of procuring slumber, not only heats the infant unnecessarily, but, in some cases, disorders the digestive organs, and, in most, produces a sort of artificial sleep, far less conducive to health, than that brought on by more natural means. According to some writers, it has also a tendency to induce water in the head, a circumstance which I think possible, although I never knew a case of that disease which could be traced to such a source. the cradle, then, should be abandoned, so far as the rocking is concerned, and the child simply lulled to repose in the nurse's arms, and then deposited quietly in bed. Sleep will often be induced by gently scratching or rubbing the top of the child's head. This fact is well known to some nurses, by whom the practice is had recourse to for the purpose of provoking slumber in restless children. For the first month of their existence, children sleep almost continually, and they should be permitted to do so, for at this early age they cannot slumber too much calm and long-continued sleep is a favourable symptom, and ought to be cherished rather than prevented, during the whole period of infancy. When, however, a child attains the age of three or four months, we should endeavour to manage so that its periods of wakefulness may occur in the daytime, instead of at night. By proper care, a child may be made to sleep at almost any hour; and, as this is always an object of importance, it should be sedulously attended to in the rearing of children. Until about the third year, they require a little sleep in the middle of the day, and pass half their time in sleep. Every succeeding year, till they attain the age of seven, the period allotted to repose should be shortened one hour, so that a child of that age may pass nine hours or thereabouts, out of the twenty-four, in a state of sleep. Children should never be awakened suddenly, or with a noise, in consequence of the terror and starting which such a method of arousing them produces: neither should they be brought all at once from a dark room into a strong glare of light, lest their eyes be weaken-may be necessary, and in few, can a much smaller portion erl, and permanent injury inflicted upon these organs.

The position in which children sleep requires to be carefully attended to. Sir Charles Bell mentions that the encuresis infantum, with which they are so often affected, frequently arises from lying upon the back, and that it will be removed or prevented by accustoming them to lie on the side. It is also of the greatest importance, that they be kept sufficiently warm. lieve that many infantile diseases arise from the neglect of this precaution. Children have little power of evolving heat; on this account, when delicate they should never be permitted to sleep alone, but made to lie with the nurse, that they may receive warmth from her body.

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It is not very easy to ascertain the most appropriate hour for going to bed, as this depends very much upon the habits and occupation of the individual. Laborers and all hard wrought people, who are obliged to get up betimes, require to go to rest early; and in their case, nine o'clock may be the best hour. Those who are not obliged to rise early, may delay the period of retiring to rest for an hour or two longer; and may thus go to bed at ten or eleven. These are the usual periods allotted among the middle ranks of life for this purpose; and it may be laid down as a rule, that to make a custom of remaining up for a later period than eleven must be prejudicial. Those, therefore, who habitually delay going to bed till twelve, or one, or two, are acting in direct opposition to the laws of health, in so far as they are compelled to pass in sleep a portion of the ensuing day, which ought to be appropriated to wakefulness and exertion. Late hours are in every respect hurtful, whether they be employed in study or amusement. A fresh supply of stimulus is thrown upon the mind, which prevents it from sinking into slumber at the proper period, and restlessness, dreaming, and disturbed repose inevitably ensue. Among other things, the eyes are injured, those organs suffering much more from the candle-light, to which they are necessarily exposed, than from the natural light of day.

With regard to the necessary quantity of sleep, so much depends upon age, constitution, and employment, that it is impossible to lay down any fixed rule which will apply to all cases. Jeremy Taylor states that three hours only in the twenty-four should be devoted to sleep. Baxter extends the period to four hours, Wesley to six, Lord Coke and Sir William Jones to seven, and Sir John Sinclair to eight. With the latter I am disposed to coincide. Taking the average of mankind, we shall come as nearly as possible to the truth when we say that nearly one-third part of life ought to be spent in sleep: in some cases, even more

be safely dispensed with. When a person in young, strong, and healthy, an hour or two less may be sufficient; but childhood and extreme old age require a still greater portion. No person who passes only eight hours in bed, can be said to waste his time in sleep. If, however, he exceeds this, and is, at the same time, in possession of vigor and youth, ne lays himself open to the charge of slumbering away those hours which should be devoted to some other purpose. According to Georget, women should sleep a couple of hours longer than men. For the former he allows six or seven hours, for the latter eight or nine. I doubt, however, if the female constitution, generally speaking, re

quires more sleep than the male; at least it is certain that women endure protracted wakefulness better than men, but whether this may result from custom is a question worthy of being considered.

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Every circumstance contributes to render early rising advisable to those who are in the enjoyment Barry, in his work on Digestion, has made an inge- of health. There is no time equal in beauty and nious, but somewhat whimsical, calculation on the ten- freshness to the morning, when nature has just parted dency of sleep to prolong life. He asserts, that the with the gloomy mantle which night had flung over het, duration of human life may be ascertained by the num- and stands before us like a young bride, from whose ber of pulsations which the individual is able to per- aspect the veil which covered her loveliness, has been form. Thus, if a man's life extends to 70 years, and withdrawn. The whole material world has a vivifying his heart throbs 60 times each minute, the whole num- appearance. The husbandınan is up at his labour, the ber of its pulsations will amount to 2,207,520,000; but forest leaves sparkle with drops of crystal dew, the flowif, by intemperance, or any other cause, he raises the ers raise their rejoicing heads towards the sun, the birds pulse to 75 in the minute, the same number of pulsa- pour forth their anthems of gladness; and the wide face of tions would be completed in 56 years, and the duration creation itself seems as if awakened and refreshed from of life abbreviated 14 years. Arguing from these data, a mighty slumber. All these things, however, are hid he alleges, that sleep has a tendency to prolong life, as, from the eyes of the sluggard; nature, in her most gloduring its continuance, the pulsations are less numerous rious aspect, is, to him, a scaled book; and while every than in the waking state. There is a sort of theoreti- scene around him is full of beauty, interest, and animacal truth in this statement, but it is liable to be modified tion, he alone is passionless and uninspired. Behold by so many circumstances, that its application can him stretched upon his couch of rest! In vain does never become general. If this were not the case, it the clock proclaim that the reign of day has commenced! would be natural to infer that the length of a man's In vain does the morning light stream fiercely in by the life would correspond with that of his slumbers; chinks of his window, as if to startle him from his rewhereas it is well known, that too much sleep debili- pose! He hears not-he sees not, for blindness and tates the frame, and lays the foundation of various dis-deafness rule over him with despotic sway, and lay a eases, which tend to shorten rather than extend the duration of life.

Those who indulge most in sleep, generally require the least of it. Such are the wealthy and luxurious, who pass nearly the half of their existence in slumber, while the hard-working peasant and mechanic, who would seem, at first sight, to require more than any other class of society, are contented with seven or eight hours of repose-a period brief in proportion to that expended by them in toil, yet sufficiently long for the wants of nature, as is proved by the strength and health which they almost uniformly enjoy.

For reasons already stated, more sleep is requisite in winter than in summer. Were there even no constitutional causes for this difference, we should be disposed to sleep longer in the one than in the other, as some of the circumstances which induce us to sit up late and rise early in summer, are wanting during winter; and we consequently feel disposed to lie longer in bed during the latter season of the year.

The hour of getting up in the morning is not of less importance than that at which we ought to lie down at night. There can be no doubt that one of the most admirable conducives to health is early rising. Let us,' says Solomon, go forth into the fields; let us lodge in the villages; let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish-if the tender grape appear-if the ponegranates bud forth.'

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Almost all men who have distinguished themselves in science, literature, and the arts, have been early risThe industrions, the active-minded, the enthusiast in the pursuit of knowledge or gain, are up betimes at their respective occupations; while the sluggard wastes the most beautiful period of life in pernicious slumber. Homer, Virgil, and Horace are all represented as carly risers: the same was the case with Paley, Franklin, Priestly, Parkhurst, and Buffon, the latter of whom ordered his valet de chambre to awaken him every morning, and compel him to get up by force if he evinced any reluctance: for this service the valet was rewarded with a crown each day, which recompense he forfeited if he did not oblige his master to get out of bed before the clock struck six. Bishops Jewel and Burnet rose regularly every morning at four o'clock. Sir Thomas More did the same thing; and so convinced was he of the beneficial effects of getting up betimes, that, in his 'Utopia,' he represented the inhabitants attending lectures before sunrise. Napoleon was an early riser; so was Frederick the Great and, Charles XII; so is the Duke of Wellington; and so

deadening spell upon his faculties. And when he does
at length awake far on in the day—from the torpor of
this benumbing sleep, he is not refreshed. He does
not start at once into new life-an altered man, with
joy in his mind, and vigour in his frame. On the con-
trary, he is dull, languid, and stupid, as if half recover-
ed from a paroxysin of drunkenness.
He yawns.
stretches himself, and stalks into the breakfast parlour,
to partake in solitude, and without appetite, of his un-
refreshing meal-while his eyes are red and gummy,
his beard unshorn, his face unwashed, and his clothes
disorderly, and ill put on. Uncleanliness and sluggish-
ness generally go hand in hand; for the obtuseness of
mind which disposes a man to waste the most precious
hours of existence in debasng sleep, will naturally
make him neglect his person.

The character of the early riser is the very reverse of the sloven's. His countenance is ruddy, his eye joyous and serene, and his frame full of vigour and ac tivity. His mind, also, is clear and unclouded, and free from that oppressive languor which weighs like a nightmare upon the spirit of the sluggard. The man who rises betimes, is in the fair way of laying in both health and wealth; while he who dozes away his existence in unnecessary sleep, will acquire neither. On the contrary, he runs every chance of losing whatever portion of them he may yet be in possession of, and of sinking fast in the grade of society-a bankrupt both in person and in purse.*

The most striking instances of the good effects of early rising, are to be found in our peasantry and farmers, whose hale complexions, good appetites, and vig ourous persons, are evidences of the benefit derived from this custom, conjoined with labour; while the wan, unhealthy countenances and enfeebled frames of those who keep late hours, lie long in bed, and pass the night in dissipation, study, or pleasure, are equally con

*In the will of the late Mr James Sergeant of the borough of Leicester, is the following clause relative to early rising :As my nephews are fond of indulging in bed of a morning, and as I wish them to improve the time while they are young. I di rect that they shall prove to the satisfaction of my executors, that have got out of bed in the morning, and either employed themselves in business, or taken exercise in the open air, from five o'clock every morning, from the 5th of April, to the 10th of October, being three hours each day, and from seven o'clock in the morning from the 10th of October to the 5th April, being two hours overy morning for two whole years; this to be done for some two years during the first seven years, to the satisfaction of my executors, who may excuse them in case of illness, but the task must be made up when they are well, and if they will not do this, they shall not receive any share of my property.'

clusive proofs of the pernicious consequences resulting to be ascertained by which system the eyes are least from an opposite practice. likely to be affected.

Early rising, therefore, is highly beneficial; but care should be taken not to carry it to excess. It can never be healthful to rise till the sun has been for some

Dr Franklin in one of his ingenious Essays, has some fine observations on early rising; and makes an amusing calculation of the saving that might be made in the city This saving he estimates at 96,000,000 of livres, or of Paris alone, by using the sunshine instead of candles. £4,000,000 sterling. This is mentioned in a satirical vein, but probably there is a great deal of truth in the statement. Indeed, if people were to go sooner to bed, and get up earlier, it is inconceivable what sums might be saved; but according to the absurd custom of polished society, day is, in a great measure, converted into night, and the order of things reversed in a manner at once capricious and hurtful.

To conclude. The same law which regulates our desire for food, also governs sleep. As we indulge in

time above the horizon; for until this is the case, there is a dampness in the air which must prove injurious to the constitution, especially when it is not naturally very strong. Owing to this, early rising is injurious to most delicate people; and, in all cases, the heat of the sun should be allowed to have acquired some strength before we think of getting out of doors. No healthy man in the summer, should lie longer in bed than six o'clock. If he does so, he loses the most valuable part of the day, and injures his own constitution. Persons subject to gout, should always go to sleep early, and rise early. The former mitigates the violence of the evening paroxysm, which is always increased by wake-sleep to moderation or excess, it becomes a blessing or fulness; and the latter lessens the tendency to plethora, ture, and diffusing vigour alike over the mind and a curse in the one case recruiting the energies of nawhich is favoured by long protracted sleep. frame in the other, debasing the character of man, It is common in some of the foreign universities to stupifying his intellect, enfeebling his body, and rendergo to bed at eight, and rise at three or four in the ing him useless alike to others and himself. The glutmorning; and this plan is recommended by Willich in ton, the drunkard, and the sloven bear the strictest afhis Lectures on Diet and Regimen.' Sir John Sin-finity to each other, both in the violation of nature's clair, in allusion to it, judiciously observes, I have no doubt of the superior healthiness, in the winter time, of rising by day-light, and using candle-light at the close of the day, than rising by candle-light, and using it some hours before day-light approaches. It remains

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laws, and in the consequences thence entailed upon themselves. What in moderation is harmless or beneficial, in excess is a curse; and sleep carried to the latter extreme, may be pronounced an act of intemperance almost as much as excessive eating or drinking.

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