Theodor Stöckmann

Natural Sleep

as a Source of Strength and Healing

A short version of the text „Natural Time. Sleep before Midnight as a Source of Strength and Healing.“

Compiled by Matthias Dräger

MMVII

R E I C H L   V E R L A G  ·  S T.  G O A R  /  M O S K A U

– Interncational Library, Ie –

The booklet “Natural Sleep” is also available in German, Russian and Italian and can be ordered from Reichl Verlag.
The Italian edition was published by Macro Editioni.
Internet: www.naturschlaf.com

1. Edition, 1. Tsd.

Copyright 2007 by Reichl Verlag, D-56329 St. Goar
eBook-Konvertierung: CPI books GmbH, Leck
www.reichl-verlag.de

E-Book ISBN 978-3-87667-632-6

CONTENTS

Publisher’s foreword

1. The system of natural sleep

2. The author’s own experiment

3. Experiments and experiences of others

4. Negative experiences

5. Methods for adjusting to natural sleep

6. The main rules for natural sleep

7. How to determine solar time and local time

Graph depicting sleeping times after adjusting to natural sleep

Blank diagram for entering sleeping times

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD

Theodor Stöckmann discovered natural sleep while still at grammar school in the year 1890 after „often working far into the night, thereby unconsciously destroying my health and suffering total collapse at the age of 18 as my reserves of corporeal and therefore also mental strength and vigour were completely exhausted“ (see also pp. XX ff).

It was not until 35 years later, invested with the economically secure position of headmaster, that it became possible for him to „cautiously and modestly take up again spinning the delicate threads of research at my own expense“, and in the 1930s the first test subjects were found and won over. After further writings on the subject had been published, the system of natural sleep became known in broader circles. A spate of articles by other authors followed in newspapers and natural health publications, dealing with similar effects being experienced after the subjects had adjusted to natural time.

In this booklet we have assembled the essential aspects of the system of natural sleep based on Stöckmann’s „Natural Time“ (see pp. 32). It also deals with additional aspects associated with the adjustment to natural sleep, such as health, general development and educational ability, in more detail.

Natural sleep is an epochal discovery of worldwide significance in two respects:

1) Time, creativity, achievement: with the adjustment to nature’s time, not only can several hours a day be gained – usually 3 to 4½ hours sleep are sufficient instead of 8 – but also a rescheduling of the period for work is accomplished, to the early morning hours and the period after midnight respectively. By this means, the new work hours possess a quality they do not usually have for us during the day when we are subject to numerous disturbances and dis-tractions. This effect is amplified by the heightened mental clarity and vigour typical of this period.

2) Recovery of one’s full health: The commencement of a revitalization process in the body accompanies the conversion to natural time. As confirmed by many reports, this can positively influence a whole assortment of diseases common to civilization. If consistency is observed, healing is usually accomplished in most cases – even should natural sleep be discontinued at a later time!

Following the discovery of the healing powers of fasting, healing plants and healing springs, water, air, light and earth, the system of natural sleep as laid forth by Stöckmann is one of the last great discoveries in the realm of natural healing.

Here, based on my own experiences, I would like to emphasize that natural sleep can only develop its extreme efficacy if the early hour of going to bed is rigorously adhered to, and the period of sleep not lengthened appreciably after midnight (care to be taken not to „oversleep“). Those who have had enough sleep get up! Those who are so inclined can take a short nap, for instance, between 6 and 7 a. m., this will not detract from the positive effects of the natural sleep.

In addition to this, adjustment to as healthy a diet as possible – one containing little meat – is very important. Any burdening of the body with unsuitable substances entails additional work and therefore a loss of energy for the organism – energy which will no longer be available for the purposes of regeneration. As a first step, potatoes at least should be bought at a health-food shop if they, even better, do not come from one’s own garden.

A lasting conversion to nature’s time will, even from a social point of view, not be everyone’s cup of tea. One should, however, at least be aware of the possibility in order to be able to avail oneself of it in times of professional stress or when the body is suffering from poor general health.

Most important is that one try it out oneself: Once this first step has been taken, we would like to ask you to show this booklet to your friends and acquaintances in order to spread the idea of natural sleep.

    St. Goar, in July 2007
Reichl Verlag, M. Dräger

1. THE SYSTEM BEHIND NATURAL SLEEP

What is meant by natural sleep is the regular nightly repose that is natural for human beings. The following study is concerned with finding the right time for natural sleep with regard to youths and adults, but not yet for children.

The whole universe is permeated by the solemn and strict law of nature. She rules the largest star with its unimaginable mass and dimensions down to the smallest grain of sand, the delicate filament as well as the tree, the most simple to the most complex living creature, creation as well as decay, change as well as immutability. As a part of the cosmic organism, human beings are also subject to the laws of nature. At the same time, they are capable of acting against them. However, punishment is inherent in each infringement of the law in proportion to the magnitude of the violation and, in the worst cases, finds its reprisal in death.

One of the fundamental laws is that of time. If the procession of the heavenly bodies were to hesitate for just one second, the universe would be in danger of collapsing in ruins. „To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose…“ The understanding is thus forced upon us that human sleep has a certain natural time allotted to it i. e., people who live under similar conditions, if not hindered by their work situation, noise or other conditions, would seek similar periods of rest.

According to the views of most doctors and laymen, an adult person needs approximately eight hours of sleep although they admit that individuality can exert a large influence on this. It is regarded as advisable to go to bed at 10 pm and to get up in the morning at 6 or 7 a.m. Some think it does not matter when one goes to bed. In practice, irregularity is the order of the day. Those who have worked hard physically all day are happy to go to bed early, those who do not have to work hard usually stay up longer. The question of the correct sleeping time is one which has not been given the attention it deserves.

Even if the methods for solving the problem differ from each other: experiment is the decisive factor. Therefore, one must continue experimenting until the natural law of sleep, and thus the most effective nightly repose, has been determined.

The experiences already gathered prove that the hours of sleep before midnight are the most valuable. All those who work physically hard tell us that the time of sleep before midnight is absolutely necessary for them to maintain their strength. Particularly those who live in rural districts are devout adherents of going to bed early. Doctors are also proponents of early bedtimes for their patients and the success of health resorts and sanatoriums is due, not least, to the regulation of the night’s rest. As the famous doctor Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland said in his world-renowned book „Macrobiotics or the Art of Prolonging Human Life“ (published in 1797), two hours of sleep before midnight is of more value than four hours of sleep during the day.

It will be sufficient to offer only a few illustrative examples from the plethora of assembled experiences. Before the age of agricultural machines, physical effort was necessary for carrying out most farm work. According to elderly witnesses, the winter season timetable in some parts of Germany was as follows: People often arose at 1 o’clock in the morning, worked on the threshing floor until 5 or 6 and then started the regular day’s work. Bricklayers, carpenters or factory workers who lived in the country and often had to be at their place of work several miles away at 6 or 7 in the morning used to labour for several hours beforehand for a farmer who would then plough their land or repay them otherwise in kind. They would then go to bed at about 8 o’clock in the evening. These people, with their prodigious daily load of work, maintained that the source of their strength lay in the period of sleep before midnight.

The words of Hufeland are also remarkable: „All those attaining old age were lovers of early rising“; he then lists several people who reached an age of over 130 years. An intelligent, still relatively active woman of 87 who worked in her garden in summer at 4 o’clock in the morning, explained that trust in God and retiring early were instrumental in keeping up her strength. The life tasks that this old woman had to deal with were enormous, but did not wear her down.

The fact is well known that many great people were, and are, early risers, amongst them Frederick the Great, Napoleon I, Goethe, Humboldt, Edison.

In this context, let us remember the physiological rule! A healthy person falls into a deep sleep shortly after retiring to bed. This sleep lasts for roughly two hours, followed by a gradual transition into lighter slumber. Therefore, the depth of sleep is a decisive factor, and not its length. From these facts we can see that quite often it is a short period of sleep which is instrumental in sustaining the highest achievements, and that pre-midnight sleep plays an important role.

Let us take a short look at the animal world – insofar as it is not predestined by nature for nocturnal pursuits! Even in summer, if not disturbed, animals will seek their beds quite early. For instance, chickens and swallows will roost at 6.30 p.m. Bedtime is noticeable throughout nature at about that time – but can only be perceived where there is still sensitivity toward nature. Long before the sun appears, the first cock’s crow can be heard announcing that it is on its way.

What experience teaches us must be founded physiologically in the body itself. Towards evening, the bodily temperature rises in the so-called evening fever to sink again around midnight. Nature, therefore, is apparently attempting to protect the resting body from becoming too cool. She does not offer a warm shell, but rather the raising of the body’s temperature.

Another physiologically proven fact is important for our study: the fact that the longer one sleeps the more drowsy, reluctant and prone to illness one becomes. For instance, sleeping for too long stimulates the production of hand and foot perspiration, the occurrence of headaches and loss of appetite.

We have attempted to approach the solution to the problem by means of experiment. The method of proceeding was clearly defined: Those who declared themselves willing to participate in the experiment were to gradually move their sleeping time to the pre-midnight hours and to allow themselves to be medically observed during this time. This procedure was carried through as planned with a number of adults and young people. The results are published here in order that everyone will be encouraged to draw his or her own conclusions by making the experiment of moving of their sleeping hours to natural time, and also to throw light on this extremely important concept; as sleep brings forth life, natural sleep brings forth natural life, and the healthiest sleep brings forth the healthiest life.

2. THE AUTHOR’S OWN EXPERIMENT

I undertook the first experiment on myself many, many years ago. As a boy of thirteen I left my village in the country and en-tered the second year of the Gymnasium. After several months I was admitted to the third year and then after a further six months I entered the fourth year. I remained there, working through the nights and thereby unwittingly ruining my health, at the top of the class until the eighth year of Gymnasium when I, now 18, suffered a complete collapse as my reserves of corporeal and therefore mental strength and vigour were exhausted. Due to the influence of my father, an enthusiastic apostle of science, I was now forced to realize that the threat of not being able to finish my Abitur on time, or even at all, was hanging threateningly over my head like the sword of Damocles.

I would rather have died than not have achieved my certificate, but as all attempted cures and medicines failed, there was nothing left for me to do but try to help myself. I slept for longer and longer periods, missing more and more school lessons in the process, in order to calm my excited nerves and to strengthen my ruined health. However, the longer I slept the more incapable, weaker, sicker and depressed I became. I suffered constantly from acute congestion of blood to the brain which hardly permitted the forming of a clear thought, stabbing pains in the chest, perspiring of hands and feet, and a terrible stagnation of the bowels which could not be alleviated by any of the many attempted cures.

The skin tone was yellowish and the chest narrow, otherwise my stature was normal. The doctor diagnosed catarrh of the lungs. The pulse was rapid, the nervous system excited and intellectual activity inhibited by congestion and nervous excitation. Digestion was extremely sluggish; emptying of the bowels occurred sparingly at intervals of several days. Medicines did not help. I was a pitiable, tormented creature. Meagre and temporary relief was afforded by water treatments, but the situation remained otherwise unchanged. As an example of a miserable, lamentable creature, my state was the obvious consequence of the pernicious and one-sided development of the intellect which does not know, or does not want to know, that a strong mind can only live in a strong body.¹ What use is it to glorify the harmonious development and the refined understanding of nature possessed by the ancient Greeks in school lessons if, in practice, one does not act in accordance with their example but rather contrary to it?

Necessity is the mother of invention; I therefore decided to shorten the overlong periods of sleep that were damaging to me. The more I followed this course, and the earlier I went to bed, the more traces of improvement were perceptible in the state of my health. But the strength necessary to meet the demands of the Gymnasium (which was by no means too „difficult“ for me) was still not forthcoming.

Fortunately, the thought came to me that, as with everything in this universe, sleep must also follow strict natural laws and must thus possess the most invigorating and therefore the most healing effects. This period of sleep, of which I now began to have an idea, only needed to be discovered to be my salvation. During long periods of experiment, in an unheated room – also in winter – I brought my sleeping time further and further forward towards the hours preceding midnight. I arose, usually having awakened without out-side help at 5, 4, 3, 2:30, 1 a.m., midnight as well as at in-between times, comparing objectively and impartially the effects of the various sleeping times.

One evening, after having unsuccessfully experimented with earlier bedtimes, I went to sleep shortly before 7 p.m. (the time referred to is always local or solar time, not standard time, which must be adjusted accordingly) and slept through until 11:20pm. I woke up by myself and got up immediately – and then experienced the long-awaited and hoped-for effect which drove me on to further research with enthusiasm. All at once new life entered my tormented body: digestion started up unmistakably; the extreme nervous excitability calmed itself; the mind became clearer; courage and hope arrived. Full affinity with the universe had been conjoined, my almost superhuman struggle had been won. Even though, often hindered or disturbed by the exigencies of school, I could not always keep to the new sleeping times, my state of health improved so much owing to pre-midnight sleep that I was able to complete my Abitur on time.

As a student, in the closest rapport with nature, I rapidly became as enterprising and vigorous as I had been hesitant and weak before-hand. For the first semester of my studies, in springtime, I chose a small university city as suitable to my needs, less for the purpose of studying than to cure myself. I moved into a small, cheap and fairly quiet back room owned by a clockmaker. He was occupied with chronological time, I with natural time. Soon I was healthy enough, weather permitting, to take a regular walk at one o’clock in the morning. The night watchman of my quarter with whom I often had some onversation was surprised to find me completely sober at this late hour while the students leaving the taverns went staggering through the streets making a loud racket. Within a short time, I was known to the night watchmen and other people as a singular character. As soon as approaching dawn became noticeable I went forth, barefoot, to greet the sun. For me, every morning was a ceremonial service in the resplendent, vivid and exhilarating temple of nature under the influence of which body, soul and mind soon recovered.

When I returned home to my village after this paradisiacal summer semester, to the amazement of all those who knew me I had become a new person. I worked at home in the long holidays, which interrupted my studies regularly in late summer and springtime, on the farm run by my parents. I worked heartily in the garden, fields, byre and barn so that I became a strong and stalwart young man who was confident of his health and strength.

In these holidays the fact became apparent that in order to achieve the highest degree of physical efficiency, a sleeping period from 7 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. with rising immediately upon awakening was necessary. If I departed from these times, my efficiency and strength decreased in direct proportion to the degree of departure from this schedule. I had the same experience with regard to mental efficiency.

Later, it was no longer necessary for me to adhere to this system of natural sleep: chronic illness had been replaced with indefatigable health which withstood the hardest tests. One can understand the results of this experiment how one will: it is presented as described. It is a logical development of the experience of thousands of years.

3. EXPERIMENTS AND EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS

It was extremely difficult to find people willing and able to accept being experimented upon and who would guarantee carrying through these experiments until a positive or negative result had been reached.

1) Hans Siemann from Duisburg-Meiderich embarked on the experiments following the example of his friend D. together with another friend Hans Zeppenfeld in January 1932, when he was in the sixth form in grammar school. His state of health was poor and in spite of good medical care he suffered from a painful stomach complaint, lack of appetite, constantly watering eyes, excessive perspiration of his hands and feet and nervousness. His friend Z. was healthy. To begin with neither of them believed in „natural sleep“ or its effects. However, they became reliable supporters of the system, not only recognizing the beneficial effects it had on them, but also courageously and steadfastly spreading word of their experiences in spite of being ridiculed by the public. After six months, and with no additional medical assistance, Siemann’s poor health gave way to robust good health and he was able to work vigorously physically and mentally for up to 17 or 18 hours a day. His performance in the difficult top form at grammar school continued to improve at a time when so many others lose ground, and he successfully gained his certificate on time and with honours enabling him to study at a university, at that time a privilege only available to the very best students. He insisted unwaveringly and credibly that the favourable development of his physical and mental abilities was entirely due to his strict adherence to natural sleep.

2) I only heard of D’s experiment after it had reached a successful conclusion and D. had attracted the attention and derision of his neighbourhood due to his „crazy“ way of life. The significant successes that D. suddenly achieved in his studies after his conversion stimulated Siemann and Zeppenfeld to emulate him and to try „natural sleep“ themselves. After practising „natural sleep“ for six months, D. was examined by a school doctor and his health pronounced to be extraordinarily good. After six months of the experiment Zeppenfeld and Siemann were also examined carefully by a doctor who did not believe in the system. The results were out-standing.

Altogether, Siemann’s experiment took just over two years, Zeppenfeld’s one year, and D’s six months. If it became necessary to interrupt the experiments, the feelings of well-being, performance and vigour all decreased; once „natural sleep“ from 7 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. was resumed, the new high levels of performance were quickly regained. This did not occur with any other sleeping times. To begin with, the parents of the experimental sleepers, namely the mothers, were extremely sceptical – as were all – towards the natural sleep system and kept an anxious and careful eye on their sons during the experiments. However, in the face of the beneficial results, they soon changed their minds and encouraged their sons to continue with their new way of life in spite of the ridicule and the advising against it of those around them.

3) On July 12, 1933, the headmaster Dr. E. Sembach informed me: „Your book on natural sleep prompted me to undertake an experiment myself. I embarked upon it last November and carried on without interruption for five months. The result was in general very satisfactory. I was able to overcome the state of lingering illness in which I found myself. I went to bed between 6:30 and 7 p.m., was able to fall asleep very quickly and initially woke up about 2 a.m. Later, I usually awoke between midnight and 1am. I felt quite vigorous and capable of working. Earlier it had been my custom to go to bed at approximately 9:30 p. m. I had to have my first meal of the day in bed and was not refreshed enough to get up until about 9am, still without feeling actually productive. The success I have experienced so far makes it imperative that I offer you my warmest thanks for your discovery of natural sleep.“ This man, formerly almost incapable of living a normal life, was later to stand at the forefront of the proponents of the new healing system. The healing success in his particular case is quite unusual and astonishing (see graph on page 27).

4) One of the first to approach me with interest after the results of my research became known was the priest Father Ko. who had undertaken the experiment for a period of two years. From his report I learned the following: „Ten years ago I was exhausted and ill with a multitude of maladies. I suffered from a kidney complaint, diabetes, a swollen liver, weak lungs, mucous congestion of the lungs, extreme nightly sweats, recurring headaches, haemorrhoids and sciatica so badly that I often didn’t know how I was to get up off a chair, the beginnings of sinusitis and was also beginning to bald rapidly.

Raw food, whole wheat bread, fasting cures and abstaining from all meat purified my body, and I became a transformed person able to enjoy life and capable of working. However, my delicate constitution as well as a certain weakness of the liver and kidneys remained so that I had to continue to live as naturally as possible. When I became cognizant of your research on sleeping, I gradually began to adjust my sleeping times to those suggested by you. Over a long period of experimenting, I have definitely determined that for my weak and sensitive constitution the period of sleep between 7:30 and 11:30 p.m. is the most valuable. I work from 11:30 p.m. onwards and am quite able to fulfil all my duties. During the day I insert three very brief naps. This way of life suits me extremely well and I am told that I have a healthy appearance. I am very grateful for your research and for the sake of many sufferers would urgently request that you do not tire in your striving. The Lord God will reward you.

Regretfully I am often prevented from going to bed at 7 p. m., but am nevertheless glad that overall my sleeping habits have improved.“

This report, which I present here considerably shortened, was sent to me by a catholic priest in orders. Some religious orders are required by the rules of their order to adhere to sleeping times that approach those of natural sleep. These have proved to be extremely beneficial for health over the centuries. Due to their internal and external structure, these holy orders would be able to introduce the system of natural sleep quite easily.

5) The well-known Swiss industrialist Dr. Ing. h.c. M.U. Schoop has followed the precepts of natural sleep as far as possible and assures me in his letters that my „system is indeed excellent“. Among other things he writes: „My physical and mental performance is much improved, digestion has been influenced positively and I am usually held to be 15 years younger than I actually am. My only complaint is that I was 70 years old before being informed of your discovery. Your system is a discovery of the first magnitude. As soon as I depart from it, my mood, effectiveness and well-being at once leave something to be desired. As long as I live by it, I am capable of accomplishing a great amount of work with the greatest good humour and with my nervous system in superb condition.“

6) Mr. Wl., still vigorous and healthy at 71, after having read an article of mine told me as follows: „What you have found out by means of research I discovered roughly 46 years ago through my own experience. At that time I was responsible for the accounts for the construction of extensive state building projects including the payment of regular wages for many thousands of workers. I had to work late into the night and to be in my office at 8 o’clock in the morning. The work became too much for me and threatened to impair my health and my strength.

A happy moment came when I had an inspiration and decided to sleep the first half of the night and to work in the second half. No sooner said than done. I now slept from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. and my success was splendid. I was now able to deal with the difficult and large amount of work easily and happily and in the best of health – work that demanded enormous precision and responsibility. From the premise of my extensive personal experience I would like to confirm absolutely the results of your research. I am not, and never have been, pathologically inclined, have always enjoyed robust health, enormous vigour and have never suffered from nervous complaints. What I am reporting to you is based not on illusion but on solid fact.“

7) In August 1933, Mr. H.P. from the town K. in Austria re-counted his observations with regard to his own sleeping times. I will quote them here: „A complete lack of the ability to concentrate on my studies in the late evening hours made it necessary for me to try to study in the morning. And to my surprise, it worked wonders! I arose earlier and earlier, and thus had to go to bed correspondingly earlier. Usually I went to bed at 6:30 p.m. and set the alarm to go off at 2 a.m. in the morning. Wide-awake and fresh I got to work or, if there was none waiting, occupied myself with my favourite subjects and remained fresh as a daisy all day long.“

8) In May 1936, Mr. H., a teacher from W.-N. in Austria reported: „Your natural sleep method was a brilliant success in the case of my 36-year old wife. A month ago she had to be moved from the local sanatorium to our home by ambulance, but now, four weeks later, is so well that she is capable of fulfilling her domestic duties in their entirety. I would never have dreamed that such an extremely rapid and amazing recovery was possible.“

Initially, this invalid went to bed at 7 p. m. but owing to disturbances in the evening adjusted this to 8:15 p.m. and slept for 7 hours on average. This case does not necessarily address the question of sleeping times but is of great medical significance. The teacher also wrote describing his own experiences: „Your natural sleep method was also very beneficial to me, as we teachers need a lot of nervous strength.“

9) Dr. med. et phil. G. A. Tienes, general practitioner and sanatorium doctor in Bad Wörishofen, with whom I had enjoyed a long correspondence, visited me at Easter in Heidelberg in order to find out the facts on my research and become acquainted with me. He became one of my most tireless and faithful supporters. He requested the original research material, taking the most important of it back to Wörishofen with him and after subjecting all the available material to the most intense scrutiny, immediately began to carry out the experiments on himself. These proved to be so effective and convincing that he constantly wrote to me affirming that it was a ground-breaking and epochal discovery and one that would have far-reaching consequences. My conclusions were correct and dependable; the natural law of sleep had finally been discovered. He himself, 59 years of age, was now able to study, practice and be otherwise active for 18 hours a day while enjoying the best of health. His diet consisted mainly of fresh vegetarian food.

He added that his patients were grateful to him for the benefits of a natural rhythm of sleep, which, however, could only be applied initially in a relative way. Even this method proved to be extremely useful. The expert application of the absolute method, as exemplified in his own case, allowed one to hold high expectations. Of course, the whole cure must be carried out in accordance with nature and in a professional manner. He went on to say that natural sleep filled a gap in the science of healing and should, and would, enter triumphantly into medical practice and theory as a blessing for suffering humanity. –

The necessity for natural sleep is a compelling example of the unnaturalness of our life. In civilized countries, those who are wide-awake are an exception; average people are tired, drowsy, restless, not quite masters of themselves, pathologically irritable and unhealthy because they make themselves miserable by being dependent on narcotics and sleeping tablets. It is their own fault that they often have a very unnatural way of life – the early part of the night, that is, the pre-midnight period, is spent in recreation, pleasure and distraction instead of following the need to go to bed early. A need which makes itself heard at about 6 or 7 p.m. if one leads an active life and abstains from substances that are counterproductive to natural sleep. Of course, the natural sleep of civilized people can not be unhesitatingly compared with the natural sleep of primitive people, and it is correct that a large percentage of the test subjects of the Stöckmann system are of the „nervous“ type, but by no means all.

I have ascertained the positive effects of natural sleep in the case of many subjects possessing healthy nerves.

10) A catholic priest in orders, holding an important post within the organization, expressed himself in a circular printed in 1936 as follows: „On holiday this year I made a wonderful discovery. During my holiday I commenced with a sleeping cure which has done me the world of good as those who know me are able to confirm. I have been practising this way of life (that of natural sleep) for five months now while burdened with a great amount of work and have never been so fresh and capable of work as I have been since this discovery. It is nothing short of a rejuvenation cure. The sanatorium Steinach is absolutely nothing compared to this.

I would be happy if those in particular whose duties and tasks are always too much for them were to act on this suggestion, as they would gain more time than they would ever have dreamed possible. The proof of the pudding is in the eating!“

11) The construction worker H. Flossbeck, 28 years old, single and a self-taught man, has written in various publications about his experiences with natural sleep. Let us read what he wrote in the „Wendepunkt“ 4/1938 on page 204:

„I was without employment for some time. In March of last year I once again joined the work force and was very happy about this. However, soon a new worry raised its head. I asked myself if I was capable of dealing with the demands of the new position. In former times I had only been employed for light tasks and had not worked physically hard. Now I had to work for nine hours a day with a pickaxe and shovel. Tired and exhausted I dragged myself home each evening.

In an hour of quiet contemplation I realized that things could not continue like this and began to search doggedly for a solution. I remembered an article by Professor Stöckmann in the March edition of the ,Neuform-Rundschau‘. Reminding myself that a good start is half the battle, I completely readjusted my daily schedule.

I went to bed between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Falling asleep was easy for me, as after work I was as tired as an old bear. Half an hour before midnight was when my new day began. First of all I washed in cold water followed by deep breathing and pleasant stretching and relaxation of the body. Afterwards I immediately commenced with my studies, having time for them until 5 o’clock in the morning. Sometimes I inserted a rest period of half an hour.

I have been keeping to this regimen since May 1937, that is, for eight months now and it is hard to believe how my capacity for work has improved – mentally as well as physically. I still come home tired after nine hours of construction work but am no longer exhausted. I work 17 to 18 hours a day, first of all with my head and then with my body, 4 ½ hours sleep is enough for me and I live a rich and interesting life.

Twice I have experimented with returning to my old sleep and work rhythms in order to see what the results would be. After several days the physical and mental freshness deteriorated, followed by the ability to concentrate on my work and finally my general state of health. My body obviously requires natural sleep.

Conversely, since adjusting to natural sleep, I have noticed that my sleep has become deep and sound. A minor heart complaint and a convulsive nervous exhaustion from which I formerly suffered have almost completely disappeared.

What is important in my experience is that one has one’s sleep out and is not woken by other means, or at least only when constant oversleeping has to be overcome.

For years now I have lived on a natural diet without meat.“

12) Dr. med. Werner Tiegel, whom we have much to thank for with regard to the research in and medical evaluation of sleeping times, published a report in the „Kneipp-Blätter“ no. 6/1936, on the experiments undertaken on himself in which among other things he states: „The adjustment proved to be quite difficult for me at first. During the first few days I had recourse to a number of cigarettes and cups of strong coffee to fight the recurring, sneaking fatigue. Soon, however, my body became accustomed to the adjustment and I was able to manage three times my normal amount of work. The fatigue noticed at the beginning of the experiment was soon completely shaken off. I can’t express sufficiently what a wonderful feeling it is to have 18 hours of productive work before one. Initially I allowed nature to find its own way and arose towards 3 a.m., then towards 2 a.m., getting up ever earlier until the time of 11:20 was attained without the use of an alarm clock. After two weeks of working hard, there were no more feelings of tiredness.²

Whoever attempts this experiment will soon realize great success and much better health. A truly alert race is coming into being, mature and ready for great deeds.“

Dr. Tiegel emphasizes particularly that nervous insomnia and the fatigue experienced by those who live in big cities disappears when the conversion has been made.

13) In a letter dated 14th November, 1940, a doctor speaks of her ideas on breastfeeding: „I think it is possible that it is a wrong idea to feed children once again at 10 p.m. The majority of children are fast asleep at this time and most mothers ask them- selves if they really ought to wake them again. For many nursing mothers these late hours represent a strain which they only subject themselves to in order to give their children this late feed. How would it be if we were to suggest to mothers that they go to bed about 7pm (solar time) and enjoy their sleep until the baby wakes them? Based on my experience I can say that this is usually between 1 and 2am.“

14) Dr. med. et phil. Tienes (see above) wrote to me on 29th February, 1944: „You have asked me for a medical opinion on the system of natural sleep that you have discovered and which I have been prescribing in my practice for roughly nine years.

My experiences with ,natural time‘, the sleep before midnight, have been the best imaginable. Following a short period of adjustment, the invalids – particularly those suffering from nervous and circulatory complaints but still capable of walking – have become so accustomed to the system of natural sleep that with increasing strength of will it becomes progressively easy for them to get up following an inner urge after having had their sleep out and to undertake useful activity and occupy themselves or – even if is still dark – to go outside to take the air. Thus, self-confidence and the will to become healthy and follow medical advice conscientiously have happily greatly increased as well as a healthy trust in life.

The benefits are surprisingly great particularly for those who are exhausted, suffering from nervous complaints or collapses, having heart and circulatory problems and those suffering from insomnia, as the natural life and healing urges are stimulated. The often atrophied urge towards life and healing is strengthened and the fundamental understanding of a sensible – that is, natural – way of living is encouraged, thereby easing the task of the doctor. If carried out properly, there are no damaging effects of natural sleep. I can decisively confirm this based on my observations of several thousand invalids. Personally, I have had the most favourable experiences with natural time and have won over many of my colleagues to its benefits.“

4. NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES

My report has so far only contained experiments with a positive outcome. There were also people who experimented on themselves in the wrong manner and who then reported false results.

Many years ago I managed to win over for my experiments a very energetic teacher in the former province Posen, who had an impulsive aggressive nature. Bursting with energy, he went to bed just before 7 p.m. and tried to force himself to go to sleep. He also did this on the second and third day. On the fourth he wrote to me that my idea was quite stupid and the experiment had failed completely. He did not know that nature will not be ordered about and made to jump through hoops and that tiredness in the evening had to be carefully and calmly planned for in advance.

A second also very energetic gentleman undertook an experiment lasting five weeks and then wrote to a magazine stating that in his case the sleep from 7 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. was the most favourable. He also wrote that in the case of my other experiments, suggestion of some kind must have come into play and the lack of sleep would wreak its revenge on the subjects of the experiments. He himself slept in a noisy room facing the street which had a negative effect on his falling asleep punctually and also on the soundness of his sleep – he should have slept in a silent room! If he had always gone to bed at 7 p.m. (solar time!) and slept deeply till his awakening time of 2:30 a.m., then he could have – perhaps with the help of an alarm clock – attempted the earlier waking times for a longer period.

Negative judgements based on misguided attempts and carried out with prejudice are not of great significance. From this interrupted experiment, one can see the circumstances on which reliable results of the experiment are dependent.

There have been repeated cases in which those making the experiments have set an alarm clock and have arisen immediately without having had their sleep out. It is obvious that experiments such as this must fail, by the second day at the latest. One cannot be denied sufficient sleep for long. This is why the positive experiments over a lengthy period described above are so conclusive. It is the failure of the failed experiments that actually provides the proof for the successful ones. It is not the length of the sleep that is of significance but its affinity with natural rules and how sound it is.

The experiments require a precise, well-planned and individual method. If this was not forthcoming, they failed; however, if the above procedure was followed, the results were invariably positive. Energy is one of the most valuable qualities. Our experiments have the ability to turn off one’s own energy and to allow the energy of nature to hold sway in its place. It is also necessary to immediately reorder one’s way of life as closely as possible to nature’s laws, otherwise success will fail to materialize. The law of nature is complete, something whole. Who would hold to it must hold to it in all essential aspects, otherwise the complete effect cannot manifest itself.

5. METHODS FOR ADJUSTING TO NATURAL SLEEP

Because the adjustment is so important it is imperative that we give it particular mention, even if only briefly: The adjustment is always made taking the characteristics and peculiarities of the personality into account. Tiredness in the evening, if lacking, must be acquired with careful planning. Whoever wants to fall asleep in the evening has to be tired. Merely laying oneself to rest is not enough. In the case of various worn-out, neurasthenic or healthy subjects, the planned adjustment was accomplished easily within two days, while in the case of those who regularly overslept and the chronically ill persons it took somewhat longer, up to seven days in fact. Robust and healthy people could adjust with immediate success as they arose in the first night much earlier than usual and worked hard all day. They were therefore very tired when they went to bed at 7 p.m., fell asleep immediately and got up again at 11:20 p.m. To their amazement and satisfaction they realized that the adjustment was complete: Immediately upon arising they were fresh and alert, ready and happy for work. Drastic cures are not at all to be recommended.

When necessary, the adjustment was undertaken in conjunction with a directed reform of the way of life in accordance with nature. Towards evening, everything connected with excitement, irritation, strenuous activity and anything with an excitable effect on the nerves was avoided. In the diet, the main role was played by easily digested, whole food with few spices and fruit and vegetables found the attention they rightly deserve. Several doctors and priests, an educated farmer, a leading pedagogue and a labourer, none of whom knew the others and who had undertaken the sleeping experiment for lengthy periods, were unanimous in stressing that natural sleep, coupled with an unadulterated, vegetarian diet, leads to the highest levels of health, performance and well-being. In this context one must note that children love raw food of all kinds but are often, regrettably, and to their detriment, stopped from doing so. Natural sleep stimulates the appetite in all cases, and is easier to satisfy with natural food than with extravagant and sumptuous processed foods; an experience which in times of general food shortages could be of importance. Those natural sleepers who are dependent on processed food generally tend to eat large amounts of it. This phenomenon is based on the fact that during processing, these foods lose many of their essential nutrients. Digestion which has been strengthened owing to natural sleep is better able to utilize nutrients and this increases the need for the correct, that is, natural, composition of foods.

6. MAIN RULES FOR NATURAL SLEEP

Circumstances admit of only giving general guidelines here for the adjustment to natural sleep. The main rules, in addition to which an undisturbed bedroom is necessary, are:

1. Make sure that you will be tired in the evening from natural causes!

2. Give way to the tiredness by going to bed!

3. Sleep until you have had enough!

4. Organize the content and time of your last meal of the day so that digestion does not disturb your sleep!

5. Get up as soon as you have had your sleep out, as oversleeping and lying-in are detrimental to your health. However, don’t be nervous about sleeping for too long. Just sleep, everything else will take its course.

6. Try to stay up once you have got up out of bed, but take naps when nature demands them. During the day short stretches of sleep are generally more beneficial than longer ones.

7. Choose whole grain bread, fruit and vegetables for your table, avoid spicy food and live ascetically, soberly and poison free!

If one summarizes the seven rules then one is left with only three:

I. Make sure that you are tired in the evening!

II. Follow this tiredness and have your sleep out!

III. Get up as soon as you have slept long enough!³

7. HOW TO FIND SOLAR OR LOCAL TIME?

The times given in this book are all based on the sun clock or a clock adjusted to solar time. It is advisable to have at least one clock on solar time in order to facilitate the control of one’s sleeping times: Adjust a clock to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, see right column). Next, in the case of plus „+“ one sets the minute hand of a clock forward (clockwise) for the indicated amount of minutes, in the case of „-" the hand is moved backward. This will show local solar time. To the east of 0° degree longitude (Greenwich/London) clocks have to be put forward, to the west, back. For monitoring: 12 noon solar time is always when the sun is at its zenith! – When in doubt, seek the advice of local mathematicians, astronomers, etc.

Examples: In Rome the sun clock should be set forward 49 minutes with reference to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), in Moscow 2 h. 30 m., in Tokyo 9 h. 19 m.; in New York the sun clock should be set back 4 h. 56 m., based on GMT.

Solar (local) time:

As the basis we avail ourselves of 0° degree longitude which runs through Greenwich near London: The adjustment of the solar clock proceeds as follows:
1) Set clock to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT):

a) During Winter (from last Sunday in Oct. til last Sunday in March): Set clock to public time in London/Great Britain = GMT.

b) During Summer (at „Daylight saving time“, from last Sunday in March til last Sunday in October): Set the clock to public time in London/Great Britain and turn the clock back one hour: your clock will now show GMT. – For adjustment you can also use Central European time (MEZ, CET); but public time (= MEZ) in Paris, Berlin, Rome is always 1 hour ahead of public time in London.

For details: www.timeanddate.com

2) The globe (360° corresponds to 24 hours) is divided into 180° east and 180° west longitude, 1° degree longitude therefore corresponds to exactly 4 minutes (12 hours = 720 minutes ./. 180°). At one’s place of residence the clock is put 4 minutes forward (+) per 1° degree of longitude (east of Greenwich) and 4 minutes back (-) per 1° if one is west of Greenwich.

Example: St. Petersburg is three hours ahead of GMT in Winter. Therefore the clock is put back three hours to GMT, during „Daylight saving time“ in Summer yet another hour to get GMT.

St. Petersburg lies at 30° 20’ longitude east, so (60’ = 1°) the clock is put forward again 30,33 x 4 minutes = 121 minutes (and 32 seconds). Now we have St. Petersburg solar time, which determins our natural sleeping time!

EUROPE

Amsterdam 20 m +

Athens 1 h, 35 m +

Barcelona 9 m +

Berlin 54 m +

Birmingham 8 m –

Bordaux 2 m –

Brussel 18 m +

Bucuresti 1 h, 45 m +

Budapest 1 h, 16 m +

Canary Ilands 1 h, 8 m –

Cobenhavn 50 m +

Cologne 28 m +

Corsica (Iland) 36 m +

Cyprus (Iland) 2 h, 12 m

Den Haag 17 m +

Dublin 25 m –

Frankfurt 35 m +

Glasgow 18 m –

Gorkiy 2 h, 56 m +

Hamburg 40 m +

Helsinki 1 h, 40 m +

Istanbul 1 h, 56 m +

Kiev 2 h, 2 m +

Crete (Iland) 1 h, 40 m +

Krim 2 h, 16 m +

Lisboa 37 m –

London 0 h, 0 m

Luxembourg 24 m +

Madrid 15 m –

Mallorca 12 m +

Marseille 22 m +

Milano 37 m +

Minsk 1 h, 50 m +

Moscow 2 h, 30 m +

Munic 46 m +

Napoli 56 m +

Odessa 2 h, 3 m +

Oslo 43 m +

Paris 9 m +

Prague 58 m +

Reykjavik 1 h, 28 m –

Riga 1 h, 36 m +

Rome 49 m +

Rostov-na-Don 2 h, 38 m +

St. Petersburg 2 h, 1 m +

Stockholm 1 h, 12 m +

Ufa 3 h, 44 m +

Vienna 1 h, 6 m +

Warzawa 1 h, 24 m +

Zürich 33 m +

NORTH AMERICA

Ancorage 9 h, 59 m –

Atlanta 5 h, 38 m –

Boston 4 h, 44 m –

Buffalo 5 h, 16 m –

Calgary 7 h, 37 m –

Chicago 5 h, 51 m –

Chihuahua 7 h, 4 m –

Cincinnati 5 h, 38 m –

Dallas 6 h, 28 m –

Denver 7 h –

Detroit 5 h, 34 m –

Edmonton 7 h, 34 m –

El Paso 7 h, 6 m –

Halifax 4 h, 14 m –

Houston 6 h, 21 m –

Kansas City 6 h, 20 m –

Los Angeles 7 h, 52 m –

Miami 5 h, 20 m –

Montreal 4 h, 54 m –

New Orleans 6 h –

New York 4 h, 56 m –

Pittsburg 5 h, 20 m –

San Franzisco 8 h, 10 m –

Seattle 8 h, 9 m –

St. Louis 6 h, 1 m –

Toronto 5 h, 18 m –

Vancoover 8 h, 12 m –

Washington 5 h, 8 m –

Winnipeg 6 h, 28 m –

MIDDLE-AMERICA

Acapulco 6 h, 40 m –

Bahamas (Ilands) 4 h, 54 m  –

Belize City 5 h, 52 m –

Chihuahua 7 h, 6 m –

Ciudad Juarez 7 h, 8 m –

Ciudad Obregon 7 h, 20 m –

Guadalajara 6 h, 53 m –

Guatemala 6 h, 2 m –

Havanna 5 h, 30 m –

Hawai (Iland) 10 h, 24 m  –

Jamaica (Iland) 5 h, 10 m –

Juchitan 6 h, 20 m –

La Paz 6 h, 40 m –

Leeward (Ilands) 4 h, 10 m –

Managua 5 h, 46 m –

Merida 5 h, 58 m –

Mexico City 6 h, 37 m  –

Monterry 6 h, 42 m –

Panama 5 h, 18 m –

Puerto Rico (Iland) 4 h, 28 m

Salvador 2 h, 34 m –

San José 5 h, 36 m –

San Salvador 5 h, 57 m –

Santiago de Cuba 5 h, 3 m –

Santo Domingo 6 h, 40 m  –

Tijuana 7 h, 48 m –

Torreon 6 h, 54 m –

SOUTH-AMERICA

Asuncion 3 h, 50 m –

Belem 3 h 14 m –

Belo Horizonte 2 h, 56 m –

Brazilia 3 h, 12 m –

Buenos Aires 3 h, 54 m –

Cali 5 h, 6 m  –

Campos 2 h, 46 m –

Caracas 4 h, 28 m –

Curitiba 3 h, 16 m –

Falkland Ilands 3 h, 56 m –

Fortaleza 2 h, 32 m –

Goiânia 3 h, 16 m –

Guayaquil 5 h, 20 m –

Juàzeiro de Norte 2 h, 37 m –

La Paz 4 h, 32 m –

Lima 5 h, 10 m  –

Maceio 2 h, 23 m –

Manaus 4 h  –

Maracaibo 4 h, 47 m –

Montevideo 3 h, 46 m

Recife 2 h, 20 m –

Rio de Janero 2 h, 53 m –

Rosario 4 h, 3 m –

San Miguel 4 h, 21 m –

Santiago 4 h, 44 m –

Sao Luis 2 h, 57 m –

Sao Paulo 3 h, 7 m –

Teofilo Otoni 2 h, 46 m –

ASIA

Ahmedabad 4 h, 52 m +

Alla Baba 5 h, 28 m +

Bangalore 5 h, 10 m +

Bangkok 6 h, 42 m +

Bombay 4 h, 52 m +

Borneo (Iland) 7 h, 40 m +

Calcutta 5 h, 54 m +

Ch’Engtu 6 h, 56 m +

Davao 8 h, 10 m +

Delhi 5 h, 8 m  +

George Town 6 h, 42 m +

Hanoi 7 h, 4 m  +

Harbin 8 h, 27 m +

Hong Kong 7 h, 37 m +

Huchou 7 h, 40 m +

Hyderabad 5 h, 14 m +

Indore 5 h, 4 m +

Irkutsk 6 h, 58 m +

Jakarta 7 h, 7 m +

Java (Iland) 7 h, 20 m +

Jekaterinburg 4 h +

Kabul 4h, 40 m +

Kampur 5 h, 20 m +

Kitakyushu 8 h, 44 m –

Kyoto 9 h, 2 m  +

Madras 5 h, 20 m +

Madurai 5 h, 12 m +

Manila 8 h, 4 m +

Nagasaki 8 h, 39 m +

Nagoya 9 h, 8 m +

Nagpur 5 h, 16 m +

Nanking 7 h, 55 m +

Novosibirsk 5 h, 28 m +

Osaka 9 h, 2 m +

P’yöngyang 8 h, 24 m +

Padang 6 h, 41 m +

Peking 7 h, 46 m +

Pnom Penh 7 h +

Pusan 8 h, 36 m +

Saigon 7 h, 6 m +

Sapporo 9 h, 25 m +

Shenyang 8 h, 14 m +

Shanghai 8 h, 6 m +

Singapore 6 h, 56 m +

Soul 8 h, 28 m +

Sri Lanka 5 h, 24 m +

Sulawesi (Iland) 8 h +

Taegu 8 h, 34 m +

Taipei 8 h, 6 m +

Timor 8 h, 20 m +

Tokyo 9 h, 19 m +

Toyama 9 h, 9 m +

Tsingtao 8 h, 2 m +

Varanasi 5 h, 32 m +

Vladivostok 8 h, 48 m +

Wuhan 7 h, 37 m +

Yokohama 9 h, 19 m +

AFRICA

Abidjan 16 m –

Accra 0 m

Addi Abeba 2 h, 35 m +

Alger 12 m +

Asmara 2 h, 36 m +

Bairut 2 h, 22 m +

Bangui 1 h, 14 m +

Benin 24 m +

Bulawayo 1 h, 48 m +

Kairo 2 h, 5 m +

Cape Town 1 h, 14 m +

Cape Verde (Il.) 1 h, 32 m –

Casablanca 30 m –

Dakar 1 h, 10 m –

Dar-es-Salaam 2 h, 38 m +

Douala 40 m +

Durban 2 h, 4 m +

El Kartum 2 h, 10 m +

Freetown 52 m –

Harare 2 h, 4 m +

Jerusalem 2 h, 20 m +

Johannesburg 1 h, 52 m +

Kampala 2 h, 10 m +

Kananga 1 h, 30 m +

Kano 32 m +

Kinshasa 1 h, 1 m +

Kisangani 1 h, 41 m +

Kuwait 3 h, 10 m +

Lagos 14 m +

Luanda 52 m +

Lubumbashi 1 h, 50 m +

Lusaka 1 h, 36 m +

Madagascar 3 h +

Marrakech 32 m –

Mauritius (Iland) 3 h, 48 m +

Mecca, Medina 2 h, 40 m +

Mombasa 2 h, 39 m +

Nairobi 2 h, 27 m +

Port Elizabeth 1 h, 43 m +

Port Sudan 2 h, 28 m +

Springs 1 h, 52 m +

Tripolis 52 m +

Tunis 41 m +

Yaoundé 48 m +

Zanzibar 2 h, 37 m +

Zaria 30 m +

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND

Adelaide 9 h, 14 m +

Auckland 11 h, 39 m +

Brisbane 10 h, 12 m +

Christchurch 11 h, 31 m +

Melbourne 9 h, 40 m +

Perth 7 h, 44 m +

Sydney 10 h, 5 m +

Townsville 9 h, 47 m +

Wellington 11 h, 40 m +

Graphic illustration of sleeping time after adjusting to natural sleep (as an example), drawn up by Dr. phil. Sembach in March 1934 (taken from: Hippokrates 4/1937).

Dr. Sembach summarizes his „Experiences with natural sleep“ as follows (see also page 17): „In my case, I could determine the personal result of the conversion to natural time as an extraordinary strengthening of my health and improvement of my efficiency. The extreme improvement as experienced by the young Stöckmann did not occur in my case. Perhaps this is due to the difference in our ages. I was born in 1881.

I was able to determine that it is possible to practise natural time, even over lengthy periods as the insertion of a short period of sleep in the late afternoon is compatible with the demands of cultural and social life. I could not discern that the time of 11:20 p.m. was the limit of ‚absolute‘ natural sleep. For sensitive and weak persons, among whom I apparently belong, the relative natural time from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. is much superior to any other sleeping time. For a short period of sleep, a greater depth of sleep is necessary which, as stressed by Stöckmann, must be well prepared for by moving the evening meal to between 3 and 4 p.m. and allowing work to ebb away, depending on its difficulty, between 5 and 6 p.m.“

ANNOTATIONS

1 Although the Latin saying „mens sana in corpore sano“ still holds good, one must acknowledge that the mind has often triumphed over a weak or even sickly body. Men such as Spinoza, Kant or Schiller are proof of this, as well as many unsung heroes in daily life.

Note by A. Tienes.

2 With regard to alarm clocks: The pleasant awakening without an alarm is fundamentally the goal to be achieved. The alarm clock can, however, be a valuable aid when constant oversleeping has to be overcome. It also represents a further useful aid when the practised natural sleeper has had to go to bed several hours later than is normal for a few days due to external circumstances. Due to the positive influence of habit, it is still usually possible to limit the period of sleep to five hours by means of the alarm clock without tiredness being noticeable during the day.

Those who are unable to wake up without an alarm clock when practising natural sleep are probably doing something wrong, as: following a denatured diet, sleeping in a noisy bedroom or unfavourable place with too much light, or have burdened the body with toxic substances etc.

The publisher

3 And regarding the bedroom: for the adjustment an undisturbed bedroom with enough fresh air is absolutely necessary. The head of the bed should not be under a window and, if possible, should face north.

The bed should be free of metals (no metal frames or springs!) and if possible consist solely of natural materials (wood, wool, linen, latex, sea grass, horsehair etc.). Electrical cables should not run around the bed and large, electrical appliances connected to cables have no business in proximity to a bed.

One of the clocks in the house should be adjusted to solar (local) time.

The publisher