Sluggish season, effects training.

[chaiwai]

I spoke was speaking to the doctor of TCM. You know the usual conversation starts with the weather. He told me that according to TCM and Ayurveda, the fall season, is the sluggish season. That sort of explains why you want to sleep or do nothing when it rains. He told me that sluggish things happen more often, during this season. Fatigue, constipation, tranquility etc. According to him, you should be carefull with amount of training, or you can get hurt, if you over do it. You can get hurt any time, but during this season, an individual is more prone to certain injuries.

Anyone heard of that or experienced any of that?

[IronFist]

I usually don't want to do anything anyway :D

[Chief Fox]

D@MN! I'm going through this right now. for the past 2 weeks I haven't felt like doing anything. I have been working out in the morning and I thought that was the reason I was feeling sluggish all day. This whole change of season thing makes total sense.

[FooFighter]

I do not believe in this and currently I feel tired, but I am doing what I have to do. I do not blame the season, I adapt to the changes when needed. If it is winter, I wear a coat, beanie cap, and UnderArmor gloves. If you don't prepare for the changes or for the worst, then blame yourself and not mother nature or allah. Moreover, if I am lazy and weak, then I take full responsiblity for being lazy/weak and not blame it on anicent mythological medical theory.

Bao

[IronFist]

People do tend to feel better when it's sunny, tho. I'm not sure why.

[FooFighter]

Light has an effect inside our brains. Light increase some chemical (drug) inside us to make us free alert and well. That is why we feel like crap when we travel long trips and in different time zone. Possible theory is that our normal light viewing is throw off balance. A good way to readjust our internal clock is waking up early taking a walk in the sunlight. On the other hand, avoid TV watching, computer surfing, or reading before bed because that can affect our sleep. Keeping ourselves in the complete darkness helps us sleep better unless the boogy man is underneath your bed or inside your closet. On a personal note: I remember when I was a boy I imagined (so I hope) there was an old black southern woman with big white teeth and thin red lips that haunted by closet. Who was fond of saying in a southern accent, "oooo Child, I comming to get you when you sleep." LOL. I love telling this story to children.

[Chief Fox]

I do not believe in this and currently I feel tired, but I am doing what I have to do. I do not blame the season, I adapt to the changes when needed. If it is winter, I wear a coat, beanie cap, and UnderArmor gloves. If you don't prepare for the changes or for the worst, then blame yourself and not mother nature or allah. Moreover, if I am lazy and weak, then I take full responsiblity for being lazy/weak and not blame it on anicent mythological medical theory.

Bao
Curious that you don't "believe" in this. The change in seasons has an effect on this whole planet. Nature is going through a huge change right now. There is less sunlight, the temperature is lower and weather paterns are different. How could this not have an effect on living creatures. Some more than others I'm sure. Consider the moon's gravity and the effect is has on the tides. If the moons gravity is powerful enough to effect something as massive as all the oceans on the planet then how can it not affect people in some way.

Also, there is nothing ancient or mythological about Seasonal Affective Disorder. http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

As far as blaming myself for feeling lazy or weak. I really don't know what you're talking about. I've pretty much had the same diet all summer, same workouts, and the same schedule. Then all of a sudden the weather changes, there's less light, it's cloudy and colder and I feel sluggish. What am I supposed to do, look inward and find the reason within myself for the change or does it just make more sense that it might take my body a couple of weeks to adjust to the enviromental changes.

You've got a very condescending way with words dude. Sheesh.

[FooFighter]

Chief,

I did not mean to sound condescending toward anyone and I am sorry if I came off that way. I was speaking directly on myself and I can be critical of myself when it comes to my training because I take it very seriously. There are plenty of people who look up to me and there are people who I look up to which encourages me to up my game. Again I am NOT saying anything negative aganist anyone here. I have my own issues and flaws to deal with and I am not so worry about looking at the imperfectiion of others unless they want my help. Personally, I try to be "proactive" about my own health and not reactive. Of courses everything is interrelated and I agree with you. I should have wrote that do not "believe" in using anything as an excuse when there are things which we can do to improve one's self or prevent bad things from happening. All in all, I am sorry if you or anyone were offended by my words.

One,
Bao

[mickey]

Greetings,

Fall is usually the opposite for me. When I was training consistently, I would experience an increase in energy and strength. Case in point, I started to ease back into my training a day before Fall. I did not realise it until I read this thread. Am I am still with the energy. There is a down side for me this time of year-- a strange sensitivity to the shortening of the days as well as insomnia. At times, there is a lethargy; but usually it is in reference to time. For example, 8pm feels like midnight; I'm not tired at at all-- it just feels that way. I find myself finally sleeping anywhere from 1am to 4am in the mornings.

mickey

[chaiwai]

Curious that you don't "believe" in this. The change in seasons has an effect on this whole planet. Nature is going through a huge change right now. There is less sunlight, the temperature is lower and weather paterns are different. How could this not have an effect on living creatures. Some more than others I'm sure. Consider the moon's gravity and the effect is has on the tides. If the moons gravity is powerful enough to effect something as massive as all the oceans on the planet then how can it not affect people in some way.

Also, there is nothing ancient or mythological about Seasonal Affective Disorder. http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

As far as blaming myself for feeling lazy or weak. I really don't know what you're talking about. I've pretty much had the same diet all summer, same workouts, and the same schedule. Then all of a sudden the weather changes, there's less light, it's cloudy and colder and I feel sluggish. What am I supposed to do, look inward and find the reason within myself for the change or does it just make more sense that it might take my body a couple of weeks to adjust to the enviromental changes.

You've got a very condescending way with words dude. Sheesh.

Cool article.:)

[chaiwai]

Greetings,

Fall is usually the opposite for me. When I was training consistently, I would experience an increase in energy and strength. Case in point, I started to ease back into my training a day before Fall. I did not realise it until I read this thread. Am I am still with the energy. There is a down side for me this time of year-- a strange sensitivity to the shortening of the days as well as insomnia. At times, there is a lethargy; but usually it is in reference to time. For example, 8pm feels like midnight; I'm not tired at at all-- it just feels that way. I find myself finally sleeping anywhere from 1am to 4am in the mornings.

mickey
It seems like your body has a different way of dealing with changes.
Try Valerian root or Chammomile, it can help to relax and sleep.

[Willow Palm]

Maybe it has something to do with working outdoors most of the time, but I find I work out more in the cold months than hot ones, not to mention I work out longer. Everything else slows down though, work, house chores, etc.

[stubbs]

I'm feeling lazy too! I haven't even read this whole thread because I've got no get-up-and-go at the moment, lol.....urgh!

[sk8fool]

I too have been hit with the laziness. I've been putting off picking up around my home, and not studying enough. It seems like sleep and tv grab my atention the most. I'll try some sun therapy to see if it helps.

[mickey]

Hello chaiwai,

Thank you for your suggestions.


mickey

[IronFist]

Or, if you're me, you're always sluggish and lazy because you hate your job and don't want to get up in the morning, and don't want to go to bed at night because you know you'll just have to go to work when you wake up. :(

[stubbs]

Or, if you're me, you're always sluggish and lazy because you hate your job and don't want to get up in the morning, and don't want to go to bed at night because you know you'll just have to go to work when you wake up. :(

That is totally 100% how I feel right now!

[sk8fool]

I had to drop my car off to get some work done on it. The place was about 4 blocks from my work so I just skateboarded from their. that less than 10 minutes of exercising made a big difference. I know more than anyone else about not having time in the morning b4 work. Like rolling out of bed, bathroom, get dressed, grab keys and go in about 5 minutes flat. I'm going to see if I cant get a short walk in the morning b4 work. I realised living in san jose it hasnt gotten below 75 during the day and so fall hasnt really affected me as much as my daily laziness.

[SevenStar]

I see sk8fool is a wu tang fan...

[SevenStar]

Curious that you don't "believe" in this. The change in seasons has an effect on this whole planet. Nature is going through a huge change right now. There is less sunlight, the temperature is lower and weather paterns are different. How could this not have an effect on living creatures. Some more than others I'm sure. Consider the moon's gravity and the effect is has on the tides. If the moons gravity is powerful enough to effect something as massive as all the oceans on the planet then how can it not affect people in some way.

Also, there is nothing ancient or mythological about Seasonal Affective Disorder. http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

As far as blaming myself for feeling lazy or weak. I really don't know what you're talking about. I've pretty much had the same diet all summer, same workouts, and the same schedule. Then all of a sudden the weather changes, there's less light, it's cloudy and colder and I feel sluggish. What am I supposed to do, look inward and find the reason within myself for the change or does it just make more sense that it might take my body a couple of weeks to adjust to the enviromental changes.

You've got a very condescending way with words dude. Sheesh.

while it is true that the season change affects the planet, plant life and some animals have a greater dependency on it than we do... plants need the sunlight for photosynthesis and many cannot survive the cold of winter. These things cause plants to die. animals that feed off these plants stock up for the winter and / or hibernate. Humans do not have that great a dependency, thanks to conveniances such as heating, clothing, supermarkets, etc. consequently, we may not feel effects to the same extent - however that is not to say that the extent at which we feel it doesn't vary amongst us. Like bao, the changes don't bother me either. I don't think he was trying to sound condescending, he was just presenting his point of view.

[FooFighter]

SevenStar,

Thanks for understanding my point of view. I wasn't trying to belittle anyone-just expressing my point of view.

[Royal Dragon]

I too have been hit with the laziness. I've been putting off picking up around my home, and not studying enough. It seems like sleep and tv grab my atention the most. I'll try some sun therapy to see if it helps.

Reply]
LOL!! I'm in the same boat!! Been feeling tired, and almost burned out and down for about 3 weeks now. I'm a bit better now, but I have only worked out like 2 times.

Ditto for house work not getting done, and wanting extra sleep or TV.

I tried Ginseng, but it actually made me sleepier!! (A sign I'm burned out I think)

[Ford Prefect]

I think it has more to do with sunlight and classical conditioning. For months during the spring and summer, it's sunny when you wake up. It's sunny when you get out of work. It's sunny mostly all day and showers are merely temporary. It's sunny until later at night and also earlier in the morning... When it is dark, you associate that with it getting late and you prepare for sleep.

Now, as the earth continues it's orbit around the sun, it comes to a place where days are shorter. For months, you had woken up to sunshine. When you woke up to dark, then it was still too early and went back to sleep. Likewise, it was light relatively later, so when it went dark of had been for a bit, you'd naturally start getting ready for bed. Combine that with the fact that humans and most primates are not nocturnal, so they have a natural instinct to "rest" at "night".

Now, you are waking up to dark and you have to break this conditioning and (to a lesser degree) instinctual response. You have to get up where for months you went back to sleep. You leave work in the dark (or it gets dark much earlier) which has much the same effect. It's like Pavlov's dogs contantly hearing the bell, but not getting an food. Eventually, this "conditioned" behavior will undergo "extinction" due to the lack of a "reinforcer". (For all you fans of operant conditioning) Right now, our dark-behaviors are undergoing exntinction.

That's my theory anyway. ;) It seems to mesh well with SAD as well.