Altogether, the hormonal anxiety lasted about 48 hours. It started mid-afternoon on Saturday, and ended at almost the exact same time on Monday.
As I mentioned in a comment to someone, I used to say that I would never wish my migraines on anyone, as they were just too painful, and all the associated symptoms sucked. At this point, I’m going to say the same about the anxiety – I don’t wish it on anyone, even an enemy. Not even some of our elected officials. That’s how bad it gets.
This morning, I’m in better shape than I thought I’d be in. The kitty woke me up a few times during the middle of the night, as she is wont to do the first night we spend together in the tiny house. (There will be more caffeine in my future today than normal. Just saying.)
The first few times I woke up, I realized that I still had a pretty bad headache as well as menstrual cramps. Quite frankly, I was dreading getting up in the morning, as I was afraid that today would be a really bad day.
However, the last couple of times I woke up, I realized that the headache was much better. Not gone, but lessened. Ditto with the cramps.
Huh.
So today is not a bad day. Instead, it’s only a mediocre day. It might actually turn into a good day before the end of the day.
I’m still doing the Nerd Fitness coaching. It’s worked out well so far. Today I did a “survival mode” bodyweight workout. I pushed it a little, as I’m feeling better than I was. By the time I finished, I realized that I was feeling even better. Moving like that was good.
Yesterday, I did yoga despite how I was feeling. I was glad I did it, that I got to the mat and I did a modified, lesser workout. However, I wouldn’t say that it made me feel better afterward. There wasn’t the change that I noticed today.
The difference isn’t between the yoga and bodyweight work. The reason why I felt so different after the two workouts was because yesterday, I was still in the throws of all the hormones, and today, I feel as though I’m recovering from them.
It’s like the difference between when I was stuck in rebound migraines and when I was starting to recover. During the time of the first, exercising would NOT help. It would actually make the migraine worse. Once I’d stopped taking all the medication that was causing the migraines and starting to get better, exercise was essential to my recovery.
I think this is just part of the “one size does NOT fit all” when it comes to bodies and health and fitness. What is right for me and my body may or may not be right for you.
And what I do today to make myself feel better wouldn’t have worked yesterday.
Which goes back to a ring that I used to always wear on a necklace (gave me blisters wearing it on my thumb.) The word “balance” was on the inside of that ring. I wore it to help me remember to balance, everyday.
Or as I like to put it: Balance is a verb, not a noun.
What are you doing today to balance yourself, your life, your world? It may change and be different from hour to hour. I’ll never achieve a static notion of balance. Instead, I’ll keep making adjustments so that I balance.