Matthew’s Blog

Day 22 of the Holiday Rowing Challenge with a need to burn off some energy after a very strange day breaks the 150,000 mark.  Now standing at 152,428 with 8 days remaining. 

Word of note: 
I had a massage with an excellent massage therapist today who really gets at the source of tension - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.    I have been at a bit of low energy today which I attributed to the rapid approach of the Solstice 6 more days of dark before it lights up again.   I have noticed that the past three years the 10 days on either side of the Solstice are particularly rough for me.   The light boxes are helping.  The massage helps.  The exercise really does help.  Shovelling snow outside helps.  AND my energy was way down.    Well, she noticed and worked me over pretty hard.   

We were talking about how some of her clients will get sick immediately following and up to a few days after a deep massage.  How all the toxins have now been released and are circulating in the system and need flushing.   Drink LOTS of WATER.   Well I have been.  

I don’t usually get ill following a massage - sleepy sometimes, but not ill.     Within an hour after her departure I felt like a kid home from school curled up on the couch with body aches.   Head hurt, body hurt, mind was numb.  Stayed that way for an hour or two, maybe it was four.  Drank LOTS of Water!  Ate good healthy food.   Drank lots of water.   Then at 10:30 when I think I am ready for bed I realize that I am wide awake and don’t feel ill any more.    In fact,  I have excess energy!      It has past.   The malaise is gone! I want to DO something.   Well I actually did something - a little rowing.   As a bonus I passed my 3/4 mark 150,000m to boot!   WOW!

 Muscle tired, sleepy tired now.   Ready for a great night’s sleep.

New learnings:
1) That some massages will actually make you feel worse and then feel better
2) ALWAYS,  ALWAYS, ALWAYS drink LOTS of water  (I don’t know where it all went but my body certainly needed it- craved it)
3) Why not exercise at midnight when you are full of energy - toss and turn in bed, or be productive; take a nice shower and slide into bed happy and physically exhausted - out like a light.
4) This seasonal dilemma is more complicated than I thought - or less and I have change my regular complicated thinking to see it as simple.  Light, exercise, outdoors, eat right, socialize.

Positive Options for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

by Fiona Marshall and Peter Cheevers

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/089793413x/moviepalacelocat

Current information and theories. Easy to read. Explains a lot and doesn’t spout the same ol same old.

I picked this up at the new concept store for Best Buy called EQLife http://www.eq-life.com health - wellness - technology all in one store. It has a spa, pharmacy, caribou coffee, geek squad, vitamins, health equipment and monitors all in one store with a really unique layout. I have yet to chat with a non-knowledgeable staff person.

EQ Life is over by Patricks Bakery on 2900 West 66th Street in Richfield, MN

March 22nd 2003 - (one year ago) Day after the Vernal Equinox, my foggy head lifted and I discovered that I had spent the previous 6 months (21st of Sept to 21st of Mar) in a medium depression without really knowing it. I have issues with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder - or as I like to say disagreement)

HELLO (knocking motion with my hands) I knew this from my experience in Tacoma, WA. My lifeforce even told me this the previous summer when it kept showing me lightboxes and articles on SAD. Did I listen - No.

For those of you unfamiliar with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), SAD is a real, chemical, neurological issue often triggered by the amount of light we receive during the day or more accurately lack there of. Well, in northern climates (Minneapolis is N of Milwaukee by a hundred miles or so, just enough of a difference for me) when the days start be less than half light, people with SAD start to get lethargic and depressed. However, upon return to 50% of days being light we bounce back with avengence.

Upon my awakening to reality I started researching for this year. I found a great company locally who operated on the internet. For more on SAD and a great resource for reliable light boxes goto Light Therapy Products.

What I use:
I LOVE my little Litebook. It is only 10oz and its light is produced by ultra bright LEDs (like the ones they use in stop lights these days) which means low heat and ultra portability. I take this little sucker everywhere. Its home is right by my computer monitor so when I check my emails in the morning I pop it on and by they time I’m done checking emails I am in a great mood.

I also have the SunLight Jr by Sun Box Co, which is also extremely small and portable but of the more traditional design with a high intensity fluorescent lightbox bulb. Its dimensions are 14.5" x 7" x 6" and weighs only 3.5 lbs. It is great for my Florida room early or dark morning coaching calls. It is also good for use while I work out on my rowing machine. Exercise and light therapy - I’m always perky after that.

Thank You - THANK YOU - Thank You! is all I can say for whoever discovered this was a solution to SAD.

The light treatments have saved me from a winter of depression and has allowed me to fully experience the growth that needed to occur this past Fall & Winter. Onward to see what has transpired.