Retire and rise punctually, for the brain, like most other organs, may be trained to definite habits with patience.
If sleeplessness be ascribed, rightly or wrongly, to an empty stomach, a glass of hot milk and two plain biscuits should be taken in bed; dyspeptics should take no food for three hours before retiring. If the patient wakes in the early morning he may find a glass of milk (warmed on a spirit-stove by the bedside) and a few plain biscuits of value.
A victim of insomnia should lie on his side on a firm
bed with warm, light coverings, open the window, close the door, and endeavour to fix his attention on some monotonous idea; such as watching a flock of white sheep jump a hedge. Think of trifles to avoid thinking of troubles.
How often do we hear people complain that they suffer from insomnia, when in fact they get a reasonable amount of sleep, and indeed often keep others awake by their snoring.
When you wake, get up, for a second sleep does no good. When some one, on seeing the narrow camp-bed in which Wellington slept, said: "There is no room to turn about in it," the Iron Duke replied: "When a man begins to turn about in his bed it is time he turned out of it."
The only safe narcotic is a day's hard work. For severe insomnia consult a doctor; do not take drugs—that way lies ruin. By taking narcotics, or patent remedies containing powerful drugs, you will easily get sleep—for a time only—and then fall a slave to the drug. Such victims may be seen in dozens in any large asylum.
CHAPTER XVII