WATCH′FULNESS. Syn. Sleeplessness. Agrypnia, L. The common causes of watchfulness are thoughtfulness or grief, disordered stomach or bowels, heavy and late suppers, and a deficiency of outdoor exercise. The best treatment, in ordinary cases, simply consists in an attention to these points. The method of producing sleep recommended by a late celebrated hypnotist consists in merely adopting an easy recumbent position, inclining the head toward the chest, shutting the eyes, and taking several deep inspirations with the
mouth closed. Another method, recommended by an eminent surgeon, and which appears infallible if persevered in with proper confidence, and which is suitable either to the sitting or recumbent posture, consists in tying a decanter cork with a bright metallic top, a pencil-case, or any other bright object on the forehead, in such a position that the eyes must be distorted or strained to be capable of seeing it. By resolutely gazing in this way for a short time, without winking, with the mind fully absorbed in the effort, the muscles of the eyes gradually relax, and the experimenter falls asleep. Gazing in a similar manner on any imaginary bright spot in the dark, as at night, exerts a like effect. A tumblerful of cold spring water, either with or without a few grains of bicarbonate of potash in it, taken just before lying down, will frequently succeed with the dyspeptic and nervous, when all other means fail.
The following valuable advice to those who suffer from unnatural wakefulness is abridged from the late Dr Tanner’s valuable work on the ‘Practice of Medicine.’[260]
[260] ‘The Practice of Medicine,’ by Thos. Hawkes Tanner, M.D., Renshaw, London.
As his starting point Dr Tanner enjoins the practice of taking a proper amount of exercise daily. A digestible diet, such as is not liable to cause acidity or flatulence, must also be adopted, and tea and coffee must be abstained from in the after part of the day. Early dinners and light suppers are also recommended. The reading of any thrilling work of fiction previous to retiring to rest is also prohibited. The patient is advised to seek his bed at an early and regular hour, and it is desirable to have his sleeping chamber well ventilated, and if the weather be chilly the bedroom fire should be lighted. Feather beds should be abandoned for mattresses; there should not be too many blankets on the bed, the pillows should be firm and high, and no curtains or hangings should be allowed. Should the above means fail to produce the required sleep, before going to bed the patient is advised to try a tumbler of port-wine negus, or of mulled claret, or of white-wine whey, the last thing. The aged are recommended (should the above methods be unsuccessful) to imbibe a glass of spirit and water, which is said to be all the more effective if drunk when in bed. In some cases, attended by a hot or dry skin, a glass of cold water has been found useful. Another remedy is the use of a bath, for about three or five minutes, just before getting into bed, at a temperature varying from 90° to 96° F.
Rapid sponging of the body with tepid water is also recommended, as also the use of a warm foot bath, at a temperature of 100° F., or of a hot-water bottle in the bed, or putting the feet in cold water for a minute, and then vigorously rubbing them.
For those whose sleeplessness is caused by
their prosecuting literary work till a late hour a short brisk walk, just before retiring to bed, is recommended.
If the wakefulness can be traced to any bodily ailment, this, of course, must be removed by the proper means. Constipation, which is not at all an unfrequent cause of insomnia, must be combated by the methods described under that article. If there be headache it will be best removed by applying a rag dipped in cold water to the scalp, or a bladder containing ice.
Should the adoption of any of the above suggestions fail all kinds of mental labour and excitement during the day must be greatly diminished, and physical exercise must replace them. Sedatives should be had recourse to with great caution, and under medical supervision only. Because of the hazard attending their use, and of the ready tendency their adoption has to degenerate into a pernicious ineradicable habit, we have forebore to specify the medicinal agents Dr Tanner prescribes for sleeplessness, strongly recommending the patient, before he has recourse to them, to exhaust the category of suggestions given by Dr Tanner, and, should these unhappily be found to fail, and he is drawn to soporifics, we again reiterate, let him take them only under medical supervision.