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CHAP. VI. Of Sleeping, and waking.
MOderate watchings stirs up the Spirits, and senses, * 1.1 and render them more flowrishing, distribute the Spirits, and heate into all the parts of the body, they helpe distribu∣tion of aliment, and promote the protrusion of excrements, yet if watchings are immoderate, first they consume and dissipate the Animall Spirits, and dry the whole body, espe∣cially the braine, they increase choler, they whet and in∣flame, and lastly the heate being dissipated, they stir up cold diseases.
The strength being decayed is againe kindled a fresh with moderate sleep, the spirits, * 1.2 that are dissipated with diurnall labours, are restored, the heate is called back into the in∣ner parts, from whence a concoction of Aliments, and crude humours is happily performed in the whole body, the whole body and especially the bowells are sweetly moistned, the heate increased, and the whole body becomes stronger, cares are taken away, anger is allayed, and the mind en∣joyes more tranquility, immoderate evacuations besides sweate, are hindred, and sleep is especially beneficiall to old men; on the contrary immoderate sleep obscures the spirits, and renders them dull, and causeth an amazednesse in the understanding, and memory, it sends out the heate, being hindred with crude, and superfluous humours accumu∣lated, sleep also, which seizeth on our bodyes after what manner soever, when they are empty, drys and extenuates the body.