How to Obtain Sleep

Sleep is the great panacea of earthly ills, yet it is a coy guest, and often has to be wooed long before it is won. But we would on no account recommend to our readers the foolish practice of trying to obtain sleep by the use of narcotics, which should never be resorted to except by the advice of physicians. Many are the patent prescriptions for sleepless nights — and onions — raw onions, sliced thin, and eaten with a bit of bread, are said by many to be a sure specific for the trouble.

A famous divine tells us that he could always obtain sleep by repeating very slowly, with a long inspiration and expiration at each vowel, the letters. A, E, I, O. The fifth vowel was omitted because it demanded too great an exertion of the muscles of the lips. Sleep would soon follow the mechanical repetition of the vowels above named.

Others tell us they can woo sleep by chaining the imagination to one object, for instance the watching a field of corn waving in the breeze, and seeing the sunlight glance upon its lance-shaped leaves. While others more prosaic, would see a flock of sheep jumping one after another through a hedge.

Source: Household Hints and Recipes, Henry T. Williams