Then there is the matter of deep breathing, which seems especially
adapted to feeble or run-down physiques. That is a large subject more
familiar to the people of the Orient than to us. Some Orientals are
able to put themselves into trance-like sleep by their knowledge of
deep breathing. Numerous books have been written treating of this
subject, among the best of which are “The Science of Breath,” by
Ramacharaka, and “The Law of Rhythmical Breath,” by Ella A. Fletcher,
though the “Rhythmical Breath” seems fanciful to Western readers.
Sleeplessness is sometimes due to lack of physical exercise, and, when
that is so, no device is so effective as work—real physical effort. A
great many persons take calisthenic exercises and go in for physical
culture to develop muscles and also to regulate circulation so that
sleep will come more readily. These are good makeshifts for persons
who have no opportunity to work, but, where circumstances make actual
labor possible, no substitute can satisfactorily take its place.
Gardening, shoveling snow, sawing or chopping wood, all give a variety
of motion and a zest of exertion superior to any gymnastics. Even a
small amount of some such labor daily will often work a complete cure
for insomnia.
Everybody knows of some plan or device for inducing sleep, and all of
them are more or less successful—sometimes. Indeed, this is so true
that it leads to the belief that, after all, the expectation of sleep
helps to bring it, and here suggestion and auto-suggestion come in.
Of late, a number of persons have tried the starvation cure—fasting for
several days. This is frequently successful with robust, hearty people,
who may unconsciously be eating too much or eating too stimulating
food. Many who feel unequal to a complete fast might cut down the
amount of food as much as one-half, with happy results. A vegetarian
diet undoubtedly helps, too, although among the lower animals
carnivora sleep more than herbivora. The success of vegetarianism,
both in insomnia and other diseases, may well be due to the diminished
temptation to overeat and the less concentrated diet.
In any event, it is well for the sufferer from sleeplessness to study
his own case and experiment with any or all the known devices to see
whether, by this means or that, he can lure sleep to his pillow again.
And, speaking of pillows, it is well to remember that one pillow is
better than two, and that the one should not be too high, too hard, too
soft, or too warm, and that it should be thoroughly aired every day.
It should be odorless and cool and have the cover changed frequently.
Clean bed linen is in itself an effective device for inducing sleep,
just as perfect ventilation adds an hundredfold to the refreshment we
get from our slumbers.
The best way to learn to sleep is to practice putting others to sleep.
Thy gifts will be unto thyself when thy benefits are to another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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