Sleep and sleeplessness / Haydn Brown.

  • Brown, Haydn.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Sleep and sleeplessness / Haydn Brown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    weak characters who wish for more than nine hours' sleep—weak either in mind or body—and I would include stout people and those who in- dulge inordinately in this category. Fat people are usually sleepy. One of my patients declared that he had not slept longer than a few minutes at a time during day or night for six months, and his wife con- firmed this, so far as she could, having always found him awake whenever she awoke. He suffered severely in health in consequence, but throughout was able to work both mentally and physically, often feeling very weak and ill, how- ever. He was a neurotic subject, and got it into his mind that he would never again sleep properly. He had tried every drug and many alcoholic drinks, but nothing helped him, until he was convinced by suggestion that he could sleep, and there was no further trouble. The less he slept the more his nervous system prevented it; once the idea was corrected his general health im- proved, and he soon smiled at his previous dis- ability. We can safely come to this conclusion, there- fore, that somewhere about eight hours is the time for those between fifteen and fifty years of age, nine or ten for younger, while over fifty people seem well and happy desiring not more than seven, six, and even five. It appears that those particularly mentally oc- cupied require not so much more sleep as wake- ful diversion. The brain-worker should not divert himself by playing games involving much thought, such as chess and cards, requiring considerable