times they are a 'changin

     Although I am a big fan of fall (it is my favorite season by far!) the one aspect I am not thrilled with is the need to turn back the clocks. Darkness falls upon us each day by 4:30PM and what that does to me both physically and mentally is not very pleasant.  

     I suspect many others have the same reaction.   My days are shortened not just in terms of the light but also my ability and desire to be active is lessened by as much as 4 hours!  The end result is I have to really fight with myself and this overwhelming desire to just change into my PJ's when I get home from work and vege out with the knowledge that I should do some type of physical activity to stay healthy.  
                               
         Being torn between those two choices is the hallmark of how difficult I find this time of year to be for me.  So I try to get motivated to workout in the AM but alas the same issue rises up as it is not light out until nearly 7 AM here in Vermont and I like to head to swim no later than 6:30!  That coupled with the fact that once the cold weather hits I need to wear a lot more clothes just to get where I am going and the same dilemma presents itself.  

     Change is not bad in and of itself.  In fact, if we can learn to adapt to it, it just might make us more flexible and better able to adjust to changing circumstances that surround us on a daily basis.  RA demands that from us already so that means that those of us with chronic conditions should have a a leg up so to speak on the rest of the world, right?  I like that way of thinking!  

     The challenge really is mental when is comes right down to it.  I think we need to have a plan in place so that when the time shift happens we are prepared to deal with it.  I tend to just wait till it happens and then I go through at least a few weeks of non activity while I wallow in my loss of light!

     So next year I am going to try to eliminate this obstacle by wrapping my head around the time change a few weeks in advance and get a plan in place to overcome the inertia it seems to produce in me.  Maybe just remembering that the actual time is still the same just the light is different will help.  Or maybe if I move my workout time back while it is still light out so that my energy level is not depleted will be the key.  Between now and then I will come up with a plan to offset this annoying occurence so that I can remain healthy throughout the year!

Nan