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TO PROCURE REFRESHING SLEEP.

the laborious than the idle, and such as eat and drink freely, thanthose who live abstemiously. Besides, the real quantity of sleepcannot be measured by time ; as one person will be more refreshedby five or six hours sleep than another by eight or ten.

Children may always be allowed to take as much sleep as theyplease ; but for adults, six or seven hours is certainly sufficient, andno one ought to exceed eight. Those who lie in bed more thaneight hours may slumber, but they can hardly be said to sleep ;such generally toss and dream away the fore part of the night,sink to rest towards morning, and dose till noon. The best wayto make sleep sound and refreshing is to rise betimes. The cus-tom of lying in bed for nine or ten hours, not only makes the sleepless refreshing, but relaxes the solids, and greatly weakens theconstitution.

Nature points out night as the proper season for sleep. Nothingmore certainly destroys the constitution than night-watching. Itis a great pity that a practice so destructive to health should be somuch in fashion. How quickly the want of rest in due season willblast the most blooming complexion, or ruin the best constitution,is evident from the ghastly countenances of those who, as thephrase is, turn day into night, and night into day.

TO PROCURE REFRESHING SLEEP, &C.

To make sleep refreshing, the following things are requisite :First, to take sufficient exercise in the open air; to avoid strongtea or coffee ; next, to eat a light supper ; and, lastly, to lie downwith a mind as cheerful and serene as possible.

It is certain that too much exercise will prevent sleep, as well as toolittle. We seldom, however, hear the active and laborious com-plain of restless night'. It is the indolent and slothful who gener-ally have these complaints. Is it any wonder that a bed of downshould not be refreshing to a person who sits all day in an easychair 1 A great part of the pleasure of life consists in alternaterest and motion ; but they who neglect the latter can never relishthe former. The labourer enjoys more true luxury in plain foodand sound sleep, than is to be found in sumptuous tables and downypillows, where exercise is wanting.

That light suppers cause sound sleep, is true even to a proverb.Many persons, if they exceed the least at that meal, are sure tohave uneasy nights ; and, if they fall asleep, the load and oppres-sion on their stomach and spirits occasion frightful dreams, brokenand disturbed repose, the night-mare, &c. Were the same per-sons to go to bed with a light supper, or sit up till tliat meal waspretty well digested, they would enjoy sound sleep, and rise refresh-ed and cheerful. There are indeed some people who cannot sleepunless they have eat some solid food at night ; but this does notimply the necessity of a heavy supper : besides, these are general-ly persons who have accustomed themselves to this method, andwho do not take a sufficient degree of exercise.

Nothing more certainly disturbs our repose than anxiety. Whenthe mind is not at ease, one seldom enjoys sound sleep. Thisgreatest of human blessings flies the wretched and visits the hap-