Midnight Vapours: Sleep Disorders in Early Modern England, 1550-1700. (360G-Wellcome-109069_Z_15_Z)

The purpose of this research is to conduct a wide ranging investigation into sleep disorders in early modern society, and their implications for a number of other areas of research. Firstly, I will look at the definitions, and theories of causes and cures, in early modern medical texts, physicians' casebooks, treatises on the supernatural, legal texts and popular printed ballads, in order to ascertain how far sleep disorders were perceived to be a natural or supernatural problem. I will then c ompare this to the findings of recent research into sleep disorders in order to discover what areas remain unexplained by modern science, and whether modern clinical research can help us to explain witchcraft accusations in the past. A second goal will be to find out what impact medical theory had on domestic medicine. The main sources for this will be receipt books and diaries. The third aim of this project will be to understand sleep from the point of view of practical divinity. I will ex amine sections on sleep in sermons and religious treatises, looking in particular at the relationship between sin, guilt and troubled sleep.