OK, so we’ve made it a week since the new time change. This is how last week went for me.
Sunday: Yippie! Extra hour of sleep this morning. So refreshing!
Monday Morning: Nice and bright this morning. Oh it is so nice to see the sun this early! I really like this time change!
Monday Afternoon upon leaving work: AAAAHHHH!!! It’s SO DARK outside. I mean really dark. I know we switched the clocks, but was it really this dark at 6pm? This is crazy, and it’s only 5:32pm!
Tuesday: All day long, discuss with others about how dark it was last night.
Wednesday Night: Why am I so tired? It is only 8:30pm… oh yeah, my body thinks it is 9:30pm!
Thursday: Nothing new to discuss.
Friday: Almost a week into the new time changes and I think I’ve surrendered to the fact that it will always be dark when I leave work from now ‘til spring. Big sigh.
Is that how you felt?
So, this time change with “falling back” an hour is one that should be easier to adjust to than “spring forward”, we gain an hour, what could be bad about that? But with the change of the time, comes change in the season. Add together the TIME change + the SEASON change, and Wham-O, it can really cause mood and energy to drop. I know for me, it is a challenging time of year. The challenge for me is not the fabulous fall weather, watching the trees turn amazing colors or gearing up for the Patriots! It is that my training schedule changes. That means the people I was seeing 2-3 times per week, I no longer see. I go home, in the dark. My social circle changes. Yes, this season change happens every year. So I have to take steps to not let my energy drop. For me, it’s getting to bed a little earlier and to not stop getting massage. Who would think to stop getting massage? Well, during my training season, massage is so beneficial in keeping me healthy. Small things don’t turn in to overuse injuries, I can train harder and recover better with massage. Training and racing usually means some muscle always hurts or is sore. Now that I have a lighter training load, the massage I receive is more relaxing and restful. Many times I fall asleep. I almost feel guilty, for not really having any “issues”. But I have realized, that I do have “issues”, they are just different this time of year. I have found, that this restful quiet time is really what my body needs. Check out the information below, and the link to research to see how massage can benefit you this time of year.
The information below is from the American Massage Therapy Association’s (AMTA) website
One in five Americans are impacted by seasonal change
Massage therapy shown to improve mood and elevate energy levels
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People looking to fend off the winter blues may find relief by integrating massage therapy into their health maintenance routine. Shorter days and colder temperatures leave many Americans feeling depressed and lethargic, yet studies show that regular massages improve mood and reset circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep and more energy.
“As we approach the colder, darker months, massage therapy may be an effective method of deflecting common seasonal challenges,” said Jeff Smoot, President of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). “Massage benefits the way our bodies react to negative influences, whether that’s weather, anxieties or disorders.”
For more information and references. Research-Roundup/Massage-Therapy-Can-Help-Reduce-Winter-Blues