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No
pill has ever cured insomnia. No powder, capsule or tonic
has ever brought permanent relief. Yes, sleep can be induced
through drugs. Have you ever slept the sleep of the drugged?
It is like having bought a small share of death. To awaken
from it once is frequently a frightening enough experience
to turn you against the use of such drugs forever. The
dizzy, choking numbing sensation that occurs to the
awakening drugged sleeper is undoubtedly among the most
horrifying of all human experiences.
The fact
remains that only a natural existence can bring permanent
relief from this modern plague. Insomnia is one of the many
payments that modern man makes daily for his rejection of an
existence in harmony with the laws of Nature. A return to
that existence is the only completely successful means for
eliminating insomnia.
Insomnia is not a disease. It
is either a reaction or accompanying symptom of disease, or
it is the culmination of repeated shocks and mistreatment of
the nervous system. Sleep requires relaxation. Drugs are
used to induce relaxation where the nervous system will not
respond to the effects of even prolonged fatigue. This
unnatural means of instituting relaxation is a crutch and
nothing more. Even were it not for the harmful effects of
drugs, the fact of their worthlessness in producing
permanent relief would be reason enough to reject their use.
Only
relaxation in response to fatigue can produce natural
slumber. The importance of wholesome sleep is known to all.
Notice the use of the term "wholesome." There are many kinds
of sleep and the value derived from them is in direct
relation to the quality of the sleep, not the quantity. You
can sleep only four hours of good and completely relaxing
sleep and wake up more refreshed than on other mornings
after eight hours of restless slumber. I am certain that you
have had similar experiences.
Temporary and Chronic Insomnia
Insomnia can be divided into two categories, temporary and
chronic. Chronic insomnia is almost always the result of
unhappiness, restlessness, a feeling of being out of step or
out of place in the world. In chronic insomnia, this
restless and unhappy state can be called the disease and
sleeplessness only a symptom of that condition.
The
return of mind and body to a state of oneness with the
world, recognizing the pattern of the world and
understanding your place within that pattern, this is the
road to defeating the cause of chronic insomnia. The chronic
insomniac generally recognizes his or her restlessness
through signs other than prolonged lack of sleep. But
recognizing this condition will not defeat it. Knowledge
itself changes nothing. Only the application of knowledge
can bring change. If you are a chronic insomniac, stop
saying: "That's the way I am and that's all there is to it."
Temporary insomnia is a common and not dangerous condition.
The causes of a night or two of restlessness are many and
the degree of each cause necessary to produce a sleepless
night varies with the individual. Night noises, the screech
and howl of a cat, traffic sounds, the wind, or even the
dripping of a faucet may produce insomnia in some, while
others are able to sleep through constant tumult.
This is largely a matter of early conditioning.
Children are natural sleepers and can condition themselves
to sleep under any conditions. If as a child you learned to
sleep through noisy night atmospheres, you will not be
bothered by common sounds. Those who have not been so
conditioned can overcome a single night of disturbing sounds
through the use of ear plugs. Night masks, shields of black
cloth, can also be used and will prove useful in avoiding
annoying rays of light.
If your
sleeplessness arises from a change in environment, a new and
temporary atmosphere such as a vacation hotel, then
mechanical devices for sleep such as the mask and ear plugs
are perfectly valid. But I strongly warn against the use of
such devices night after night in your home. These, like the
sleeping pills, become crutches without which sleep is
impossible. What must be realized is that if you are unable
to withstand the background noises and light of your natural
sleeping environment, your home, then it is neither the
noise nor the light which actually is the source of your
insomnia. Rather, a condition of tension producing
over-sensitivity to such ordinarily unnoticed things is the
true cause. Again the answer to such insomnia is not
sleeping devices, but what might be called a pact of
friendship with the world.
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Insomnia cannot be treated apart from other conditions of
body and mind. Total health rules out insomnia. Therefore,
strive for natural health and you will be on the road to
relaxation and restful sleep.
Temporary insomnia, arising from momentary disturbances, is
best treated in advance of bed time. When you are aware that
some disturbing happening, sight or news has unnerved you to
the point where it may cost you a night's sleep, that is the
time to begin combating insomnia. Once you have gone to bed,
it is difficult to stop the wheels of thought from turning;
they must be slowed before bed time. This is best done with
a program of relaxation.
Program of Relaxation
Your
program of relaxation should begin at least two hours before
you retire for the night. In that period of two hours, it is
important to avoid over-stimulation. Exactly how you do this
depends upon your individual personality. If you find
reading, watching television or listening to good music relax you, then you will have
no difficulty filling most of your two hour program for
relaxation. But if you tend toward stimulating reading, or
if watching television or listening to music excite you even moderately, then
avoid them prior to bed time. Most of all, avoid contact
with work that fills your day. Never take your business to
bed with you.
Half an
hour before retiring, take a final walk in the open air.
This is not meant to be a kind of brisk tour. Walk slowly,
feel the cool kiss of wind upon your cheek, do a little star
counting. In other words, end your day by realizing your
part of this great universe.
When
you return, prepare a warm drink. Hot milk is the
insomniac's favorite, but since the warmth helps induce
sleep you can substitute it by taking hot lemonade or vegetable broth instead.
They will have the same effect, and may be pleasanter for
many. As important as the drink is the way you drink it. Sit
down in a dimly lit corner of the house and relax. Gradually
accustom yourself to the wonderful rest that lies before you
that evening. Feel yourself relaxing as you sit there. This
is a moment for recalling the pleasant experiences of your
life. It is a moment for warm smiles.
If you
have spent your pre-bed time hours in relaxation the rest is
quite simple. Just before retiring, prepare a warm stomach
compress. A heating pad, with the control turned to its
lowest point, will do as well. Place the pad or compress
upon the center of your body, from the lower half of the
chest down to the hip bones. Since it is the gentle warmth
that you want here and not necessarily the healing action of
water, the heating pad will do this job conveniently.
Now it
is time to put your body to sleep. Starting with the toes
and working your way up through the body, concentrate on
each segment of your physique. Feel them deaden into total
relaxation one by one, toes, heels, ankles, calves, knees
and so on along the length of your frame. Do not move from
one area to another until you are certain that you have felt
the total relaxation of the preceding area. The first time
you attempt this it may take ten or fifteen minutes. The
second or third time you will find your entire body quickly
falling into a state of restful repose. With this your
program of relaxation is complete. Sleep is yours.
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