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Thursday, April 20, 2006The Up North EffectEvery time I go Up North to the family's cottage, I'm hit with fatigue. It's usually most intense during the first 24 hours. It's not just me this happens to either, a lot of us who vacation up there get hit by it. My Uncle Keith and I have talked about, and for a while we thought perhaps the problem is the elevation up there. If it's lots higher than where we live (Chicago and Detroit areas), then the air is thinner and we're simply not used to it, so we tire out easily.Well, yesterday blew that theory away. I woke up to a back ache and my muscles stiffer for the night's sleep (see Run Over by a Truck, Beat Up by a Train). After hours of working and whatnot, which involves me mostly sitting and not moving, I decided to go out for a walk. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, and I needed to get my exercise in at some point, and I figured a walk might help loosen my muscles. I only went out for 21 minutes, eventhough I know I need to exercise more than that in a day, I didn't want to push my poor aching body. I noted while it was wonderful weather in the shade, or when at a window or sitting outside, it actually got too hot for me while I was walking. After I got home I only made it about half an hour before I crashed. I passed out for an hour and a half, waking only briefly about twice: once to put my couch blanket over myself; once due to the noise of the TV. It was the Up North Effect, felt just like it. The best I can determine, the problem is exercising in dry heat. It wasn't heat stroke (I've been too close to that before). And it didn't feel like dehydration as I didn't get thirsty, and usually don't under the Up North Effect. It seems it is simply that my body doing more work that usual in too warm and dry weather causes my body to rapidly run out of steam once I stop moving about. Odd. |
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