In his search for answers as to why Native Americans had such strong constitutions, longer and more trouble-free lifespans, and none of the normal handicaps of their more civilized counterparts, American painter and historian George Catlin drew a direct link between the closed-mouth sleeping practices of the Indians, as he called them, and their superior constitutions and health.
Catlin was particularly impressed by the beauty, strength, demeanor, and superb healt.