| 摘要: | 本文旨在探討民國時期源自西方的睡眠醫學於近代中國之萌興與流變。從失眠症狀的展現與其演化為起點，進而分析治療方式的多元化與安眠途徑的更迭，以觀察社會對新興睡眠觀念的詮釋，以及「失眠」與「安眠」之間的互動脈絡。
隨著洋行設立、報刊印刷與商業廣告的盛行，民初的現代化氣息漸次顯現。在摩登都市的建築與節奏之中，中產階層、工商人士乃至政醫從業者，皆因精神緊繃與生活壓力而產生心理負荷，導致睡眠障礙頻繁出現，進一步影響休息品質與身心狀態。
文章以文化史為切入視角，梳理當時人們應對失眠的實際作法與對睡眠衛生的觀點，並蒐集各類安眠之法及其背後所蘊之醫理與社會意涵。從西藥、中藥、補方、食品乃至偽藥，探究其如何形塑大眾對此類「文明病」的認識與實踐。同時，結合華人「虛弱補精」的思維與當時盛行的「神經衰弱」論述，以釐清失眠由症狀轉化為病名的歷史進程。
西方安眠藥的輸入，大幅改變了治療與預防失眠的途徑，並揭開服藥助眠的新篇章。首批上市的巴比妥類（Barbiturates）藥物頻繁出現於報章雜誌間，深刻影響市民生活。然而，其濫用亦衍生多重社會問題，如自盡事件、過度鎮靜與成癮依賴等現象，促使官方制定規範以管制抑制中樞神經之藥品。
在醫療常識尚未普及、精神醫學體系仍待建構的年代，失眠與安眠形成緊密交織的睡眠樣態。西方醫理的介入與中醫觀點的並行，逐漸孕育出兼具雙重特質的睡眠論述，呈現中國睡眠醫學的初步雛形。
本文將上述歷史脈絡歸納為三大層面加以探討：第一，釐清睡眠研究之起源，並梳理睡眠衛生的多元視角；第二，分析失眠現象與安眠手段於民國時期的演變模式，探討相關藥物的類別與功效；第三，整理民間自然療法的差異與實際效用，觀察民眾面對失眠的反應與社會面貌，以勾勒出民國時期睡眠文化的大致圖景。;This study investigates the emergence and transformation of Western sleep medicine in modern China during the Republican era. Beginning with the manifestation and evolution of insomnia, it examines the diversification of treatments and the changing approaches to inducing sleep, revealing how society interpreted new notions of sleep and how “insomnia” and “restful sleep” interacted within this historical context.
With the establishment of foreign enterprises, the expansion of print media, and the popularity of commercial advertisements, the atmosphere of modernisation gradually took shape in early Republican China. Within the fast-paced urban environment, members of the middle class, professionals, and entrepreneurs often suffered from psychological strain and mental fatigue, leading to frequent occurrences of sleep disorders that affected both rest and overall health.
Adopting a cultural-historical perspective, this paper explores how people in that period responded to insomnia and conceived of sleep hygiene. It collects various methods of achieving sleep and analyses their medical rationales and social implications. From Western and Chinese medicines to food therapy and patent or pseudo-drugs, these practices shaped public understanding of insomnia as a “disease of civilisation.” The study further considers how traditional Chinese notions of “replenishing weakness and essence” intersected with the discourse on “neurasthenia,” clarifying the process through which insomnia evolved from a symptom into a recognised medical condition.
The introduction of Western sleeping pills marked a turning point in the treatment and prevention of insomnia. The arrival of barbiturate drugs, such as Veronal, transformed sleep practices and were widely promoted through newspapers and advertisements, but their misuse also led to social problems—suicide, over-sedation, and addiction—prompting official regulations on central nervous system depressants.
In a time when psychiatry was still nascent and medical knowledge limited, insomnia and sleep became interwoven experiences. The coexistence of Western medical theories and traditional Chinese views produced a hybrid discourse, signifying the early formation of Chinese sleep medicine.
This study organises these developments into three dimensions:
1. To trace the origins of sleep research and delineate diverse perspectives on sleep hygiene.
2. To analyse the transformation of insomnia phenomena and sleeping methods during the Republican era, including drug types and their effects.
3. To examine the variation and efficacy of popular natural therapies and the public’s responses to insomnia, thereby outlining the broader landscape of sleep culture in Republican China. |
