The Pedestrian's Record

THE PEDESTRIAN'S RECORD. 99 Taking intoconsideration the various physiological facts regarding sleep and the periods of its duration in various temperaments that come under our ob­ servation, we can make little mistake by prescribing a medium course for the guidance of athletes. The sprinter and the long-distance runner, when in train­ ing, to an extent deplete their systems during their daily practice ; both the nerves and muscles have had something taken out of them ; the system has undergone a degree of waste, which must be re-established if health is to be sustained, and this alone can be effected by sleep. The harder the strain the greater will have been the waste of tissue, and consequently the longer will be the period of repose necessary for its reconstruction, and as this recuperative process operates more actively during sleep it will be wise to limit or extend hours of slumber in proportion to the amount of exercise that has been taken. One matter is most important, that is, sound sleep should always be enjoyed, as restless nights indicate that indigestion or some slight bodily ailment is the disturber ; heavy suppers, or too strong indulgence in food, or that of an indi­ gestible nature, may have interfered with the healthy action of the assimilative function, and operated anta­ gonistically to the recuperative force, for when one member suffers all members suffer with it, and in this case the mover of the whole system, the brain, can­ not rest unless the whole animal mechanism works easily, and until the offending agent is removed it H 2