Natural Remedies for Sleeplessness by M. Ellsworth Olsen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 25, 1911

Natural Remedies for Sleeplessness

By M. Ellsworth Olsen

M. ELLSWORTH OLSEN

INSOMNIA is a symptom rather than a disease, indicating a condition of the body in which the nervous system is in a state of uncommon excitability. The balance has been interfered with, the natural course of nature broken up, and the sufferer is wide-awake and active just when he ought to be relaxed, tired, and sleepy; and weary and dispirited when he should be ready for work.

The first thing to do is to bring the life into harmony with the laws of nature. Have regular habits of eating, working, and recreation. Let the hardest mental work (for we have to deal mostly with those who work with their brains) come in the forenoon; in the afternoon do work that calls for less nerve force, and absolutely eschew severe brain work in the evening. This may not be possible for every one, but careful planning will enable the rule to be carried out to a large extent in most cases. By rising reasonably early in the morning, a great deal of work can be turned off before dinner.

Take regular exercise out-of-doors. Do enough walking or hoeing in the garden or other brisk but unexciting exercise to make you feel really tired by night. This exercise should preferably come in the afternoon; it may even be taken in the evening. While taking exercise, keep the mind free and easy. Don’t let it travel over the world, and busy itself with troubles of all kinds.

The disposition to carry things on the mind and brood over them, to feel vexed and harassed because things do not go as they ought—all this must be put away. The man or woman who is determined to overcome insomnia must cultivate self-control. He can work as much as he likes, but he must not work all the time; and this is what people virtually do who carry their burdens on the mind all day, and then to bed with them at night.

Proper Diet

The diet should be confined to the simplest and most easily digested foods. Slow digestion, constipation, and all disorders of a similar nature must be attended to promptly if the system is to be brought into a condition where it can have sound sleep at night. Tobacco, alcoholic drinks, and even tea, coffee, and flesh-meats must be given up to secure really good results. The poor sleeper is in a condition of poisoning; and before the balance can be restored, the poisons must be eliminated, and a further supply of such nerve excitants provided against.

Never eat anything after six or seven o’clock, and let the last meal of the day be light, say fruit with a little bread. Many sleep best by taking only two meals.

Hydropathic Treatments

Now for some hydropathic remedies. We will suppose that the patient has adopted the simple, natural habits mentioned, and has absolutely stopped worrying, or at least has come as near to doing so as he can. Still the blessing of sound, refreshing sleep is denied. What shall then be done?

When you find yourself in a wakeful mood at night, usually the head is rather warm, and the feet are cold. Put your feet in a pail of water as hot as can be borne; if you have a sufficiently large receptacle, let the legs also be partly immersed. Meanwhile apply a cold cloth to the head. After ten or fifteen minutes, sponge off the body quickly, and pouring a little cold water over the feet, rub them vigorously with a dry towel. You have drawn away the blood from the head, and have restored vigorous circulation in the extremities; now slip into bed, and compose yourself for sleep.

Sometimes the whole body feels heated, and all the nerves excited. A good remedy in such cases is to take a neutral full bath at 92° to 96° F., or just a little below blood heat. The pressure of the water has a calming effect upon the nerves, and the neutral temperature is soothing. Lie in this bath half an hour or an hour, if you like; then very quietly wipe the body, and go to bed.

Another excellent remedy is the wet-sheet pack. Wring a sheet out of cold water, and lay it across the bed, placing underneath it three or four blankets. Lie down, and bring the sheet up over you, using one flap to cover the chest and left arm, and pulling the other over the right arm. Have some one assist in pulling up the blankets. Remain in the pack for an hour or more. You will feel a little cold at first, but very soon, if you have the proper amount of covering, a delicious warmth will succeed the chilly feeling. If you are entirely comfortable, you may remain in the pack all night.

The wet girdle is also a fine sleep producer. Wring a towel out of cold water, and wrap rather tightly about the lower half of the trunk. Follow with a bit of rubber cloth and a piece of flannel. When the weather is warm, flannel is not needed. This application helps to restore the circulation, and to calm the nerve-centers.

A simpler treatment than any suggested thus far is the air-bath. Disrobe, and let the cold air come in direct contact with the whole surface of the body. Benjamin Franklin found this the best way of inducing sleep.

One general precaution is of great importance: Avoid too much bedding. Light blankets are the best covering. Feather beds and feather pillows are heating. A mattress of moss or hair is far better, though the ideal bed ought to have about the same thickness underneath as above. This enables both sides of the body to keep of even temperature, and greatly contributes to one’s comfort. A rather stiff wire mattress with two or three blankets as overlay, could satisfy this condition, but would hardly allow of more than one person occupying the bed. In general, poor sleepers ought to sleep alone.

Finally, don’t worry because you can’t sleep as much as you would like. Take it with perfect good nature. When the proper time comes, go to bed, and dispose yourself comfortably for sleep. Let your mind be a blank, or if that is absolutely impossible, let it rest easily and lightly on some pleasant, unimportant incident. Never do any serious thinking in bed. Never lay your plans there. It’s a bad habit, and fatal to the best sleep.

Train yourself patiently, good-naturedly, but firmly, and you will in time learn to sleep.

Takoma Park, D. C.