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re； as has been postulated； is there a toxin of fatigue； or is there a 〃vaso…motor〃 reaction； a shift of the blood supply causing a cerebral anaemia and thus creating the 〃sleepy〃 feeling？ The capacity to sleep is a factor of great importance and we shall deal with it later under a separate heading as part of the mechanism of success and failure。 At present we shall simply point out that each person builds up a set of habits regarding sleep；as to hour； kind of place； warmth； companionship； ventilation and even the side of the body he shall lie on； and that a change in these preliminary matters is often attended by insomnia。 Moreover； a change from the habitual in the general conduct of lifea new city or town； a strange bed； a disturbance in the moods and emotionsmay upset the sleep capacity。 Those in whom excitement persists； or whose emotions are persistent； become easily burdened with the dreaded insomnia。 Sleep is dependent on an exclusion of excitement and exciting influences。 If； however； exciting influences become habitual they lose their power over the organism and then the individual can sleep on a battle field； in a boiler factory； or almost anywhere。 Conversely； many a New Yorker is lulled to sleep by the roar of the great city who； finds that the quiet of the country keeps him awake。 ＇1＇ As good a book as any on the subject of sleep is Boris Sidis's little monograph。
Sleeplessness often enough is a habit。 Something happens to a man that deeply stirs him； as an insult； or a falling out with a friend； or the loss of money；something which disturbs what we call his poise or peace of mind。 He becomes sleepless because； when he goes to bed and the shock…absorbing objects of daily interest are removed； his thoughts revert back to his difficulty； he becomes again humiliated or grieved or thrown into an emotional turmoil that prevents sleep。 After the first night of insomnia a new factor enters；the fear of sleeplessness and the conviction that one will not sleep。 After a time the insult has lost its sting； or the difficulty has been adjusted； there is no more emotional distress； but there is the established sleeplessness； based on habitual emotional reaction to sleep。 I know one lady whose fear reached the stage where she could not even bear the thought of night and darkness。 It is in these cases that a powerful drug used two or three nights in succession breaks up the sleepless habit and reestablishes the power to sleep。 People differ in their capacity to form habits and in their love of habits。 The normal habits； thoroughness； neatness and method come easily to some and are never really acquired by others。 People of an impetuous； explosive or reckless character； keenly alive to every shade of difference in things； find it hard to be methodical； to carry on routine。 The impatient person has similar difficulties。 Whereas others take readily to the same methods of doing things day by day； and these are usually non…explosive； well inhibited； patient persons； to whom the way a thing is done is as important as the goal itself。 Here comes a very entertaining problem； the question of the value of habits。 Good habits save time and energy； tend to eliminate useless labor and make for peace and quiet。 But there is a large body of persons who come to value habits for themselves and； indeed； this is true to a certain extent of all of us。 Once an accustomed way of doing things is established it becomes not only a path of least resistance； but a sort of fixed point of view； and； if one may mix metaphors a trifle； a sort of trunk for the ego to twine itself around。 There is uneasiness in the thought of breaking up habits； an uneasiness that grows the more as we become older and is deepened into agony if the habit is tinged with our status in life； if it has become a sort of measure of our respectability。 Thus a good housekeeper falls into the habits of doing things which were originally a mark of her ability； which she holds as sacred and values above her health and energy。 There are people who fiercely resent a new way of doing things； they have woven their most minor habits into their ego feeling and thus make a personal issue of innovations。 These are the upholders of the established； they hate change as such； they are efficient but not progressive。 In its pathological form this type becomes the 〃health fiends〃 who never vary in their diet or in their clothing； who arise at a certain time； take their 〃plunge〃 regardless； take their exercise and their breakfasts alike as a health measure without real enjoyment； etc。； who grow weary if they stay up half an hour or so beyond their ordinary bedtime； they are the individuals who fall into health cults； become vegetarians； raw food exponents； etc。 Opposed to the group that falls into habits very readily is the group that finds it difficult to acquire habitual ways of working and living。 All of us seek change and variety； as well as stability。 Some cannot easily form habits because they are quickly bored by the habitual。 These restless folk are the failures or the great successes； according to their intelligence and good fortune。 There is a low…grade intelligence type； without purpose and energy； and there is a high…grade intelligence type； seeking the ideal； restless under imperfection and restraint； disdaining the commonplace and the habits that go with it。 Is their disdain of habit…forming and customs the result of their unconventional ways； or do their unconventional ways result because they cannot easily form habits？ It is very probable that the true wanderer and Bohemian finds it difficult； at least in youth； to form habits； and that the pseudo…Bohemian is merely an imitation。 Habit is so intimately a part of all traits and abilities that we would be anticipating several chapters of this book did we go into all the habit types。 Social conditions； desire； fatigue； monotony； purpose； intelligence； inhibition； all enter into habit and habit formation。 Youth experiments with habit； old age clings to it。 Efficiency is the result of good habits but originality is the reward of some who discard habits。 A nation forms habits which seem to be part of its nature； until emigration to another land shows the falsity of this belief。 So with individuals： a man feels he must eat or drink so much； gratify his sex appetite so often； sleep so many hours； exercise this or that amount； seek his entertainment in this or that fashion；until something happens to make the habit impossible and he finds that what he thought a deeply rooted mode of living was a superficial routine。 Though good habits may lead to success they may also bar the way to the pleasures of experience； that is their danger。 A man who finds that he must do this or that in such a way had better beware； he is getting old； no matter what his age。＇1＇ For we grow older as we lose mobility；in joints； muscles； skin and our ways of doing； feeling and thinking！ It is a transitory stage of the final immobility of Death。 ＇1＇ Says the talkative Autocrat of the Breakfast Table： 〃There is one mark of age that strikes me more than any of the physical ones； I mean the formation of Habits。 An old man who shrinks into himself falls into ways that become as positive and as much beyond the reach of outside influences as if they were governed by clock work。〃
We have not considered the pathological habits； such as alcoholism； excessive smoking and eating； perverse sex habits。 The latter； the perverse sex habits； will be studied when discussing the sex feelings and purposes in their entirety。 Alcoholism is not yet a dead issue in this country though those who are sincere in wishing their fellows well hope it soon will be。 It stands； however； as a sort of paradigm of bad habit… forming and presents a problem in treatment that is typical of such habits。 Not all persons have a liability to the alcoholic habit。 For most people lack of real desire or pleasure prevented alcoholism。 The majority of those who drank little or not at all were not in the least tempted by the drug。 〃Will power〃 rarely had anything to do with their abstinence and the complacency with which they held themselves up as an example to the drunken had all the flavor of Phariseeism。 To some the taste i