SLEEP. 78 



pier portions of the brain. But people who have 

 to study or think much, people who use their 

 brains largely, people who have many calculations 

 to make, people much })uzzletl or worried about 

 money or business difficulties, such people require 

 comparatively much sleej), though they often are 

 not able to sleep nearly so soundly as their healthy 

 outdoor-working neighbors. This is the true 

 answer to Shakspeare's famous inquiry, " Why 

 rather. Sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs than in 

 the perfumed chambers of the great ? " People 

 who have not overworked their brains fall readily 

 into a profound slumber, and rise from it refreshed 

 and happy. But, when a man has too many men- 

 tal cares and occupations, when he is distracted 

 and worried by endless troubles, his overwrought 

 brain gets often into a feverish, restless condition, 

 and he cannot obtain the repose he so much needs 

 and longs for. His brain will go on working in 

 spite of him. Sleeplessness, in fact, is the com- 

 mon complaint of brain-workers ; they require 

 rest, but they cannot get it. This is a very bad 

 state indeed to fall into, and it should be guarded 

 against by every means possible. Narcotics and 

 sleeping-mixtures are of extremely little use in- 

 deed, or rather they are poisons in the long run ; 

 the one real remedy is complete cessation from over- 

 work before it is too late. Not to sleep is to wear 

 out the brain by excessive and ceaseless activity. 



