Energy Levels

[suburbaknght]

This week has been absolutely exhausting due to coming out of last weekend with a total of 10 hours of sleep, and every day this week starting at 6:30 AM and not finishing until 11:30 PM. Eight hour days at one job, traveling for my second job, then throw lessons and practice into the mix, and the fact that I'm now in a whirlwind rush to get ready for a competition with only three weeks to prepare with a new partner.

The amazing thing, though, is when I hit practice time at the end of these days, or begin with practice in the mornings after ridiculously little sleep, I feel great. Better than any other point throughout the rest of the day. Not just happier, though there is that, but more energized and alert. The fatigue and the aches all disappear for the entirety of the practice. Part of it is psychological, I'm sure; I'd much rather be enjoying the hover action on a natural spin turn than explaining university insurance policy for the umpteen-billionth time to an exchange student who gets thrown head-first into the quagmire that is the American insurance system.* But it goes beyond psychology or even psychosomatic response. First law of thermodynamics aside, there's more energy after I dance.

Has anyone else experienced this?

* To all you foreign readers: it really is just as painful and idiotic as you've been told. Worse, even.

 

[jjs914]

Yes!

I work a full time job and have an hour and fifteen minute commute, so I also usually have lessons and practice at the very end of the day. Sometimes I leave my house at 7:15/7:30 in the morning and I don't get home until 11 at night.

And yet, I've told people this as well: I can be super tired during the afternoon, but a little dinner and a good lesson or practice and I forget that I've been tired all day. It's not even so much a dancing high or anything like that, but that the focus and movement and involvement takes everything else away.

 

[Ray Sison]

Me too! Last Tuesday, I had a coaching session--after only just over 4 hours of sleep. I danced with a great serenity--and a lot of control. (Waltz and Tango.)

I got a lot of compliments--and, even, "Whatever you did before you came in [to the studio], do it again..."

 

[ireniecat]

Yes, I have experienced this. I also have days where I leave the house early in the morning and don't return until late at night, but still feel energized.

I don't find it specific to dance, though. I have felt the same with night classes for school after a full work day. I think it's the change of environment that makes the psychological difference.

But I can't sustain such a demanding schedule forever. Eventually I need a break... my body does get worn down, even if I don't realize or acknowledge it.

 

[fascination]

my lessons tend to energize me mentally...they do not energize me physically...but they are never shorter than 3 hours

 

[suburbaknght]

But I can't sustain such a demanding schedule forever. Eventually I need a break... my body does get worn down, even if I don't realize or acknowledge it.

Oh my yes. That's the problem with being energized like this: you often don't realize the toll it takes on you until you stop, or your body makes you stop.

 

[fascination]

exactly...usually this for me is not realized until I hit the wall so hard that I am either sick, or injured, or so burnt out that I have to take a week off

 

[Ray Sison]

Oh my yes. That's the problem with being energized like this: you often don't realize the toll it takes on you until you stop, or your body makes you stop.

Don't I know it! Not only in dance, but in my college studies. In everything in general, as in ireniecat's experience!

 

[nimmity]

I'm exactly the same. I can be dead after 12 hr days at work (don't ever think high school teachers get out at 3!) and arrive at the studio looking terrible. By the end of my lessons I'm bouncing around wanting to do more.
Its pretty sustainable as long as I'm in bed by 1am even with early starts. Any later than that and I'm useless all day (until I get to my lesson of course)

 

[Mengu]

It doesn't matter how exhausting a day I may have had at work, the moment I hit the dance floor for some warm up before my lesson, it will all vanish. That stationary tiredness from sitting in one place all day is washed away with the invigorating movements dancing provides. I also manage to push away all the mental worries because I have something completely different to focus my mental attention on.

I actually find that I get less stressed out on days I have a dance lesson in the afternoon by the mere fact that I'm looking forward to dancing when I get out of work.

 

[Ray Sison]

It doesn't matter how exhausting a day I may have had at work, the moment I hit the dance floor for some warm up before my lesson, it will all vanish. That stationary tiredness from sitting in one place all day is washed away with the invigorating movements dancing provides. I also manage to push away all the mental worries because I have something completely different to focus my mental attention on.

I actually find that I get less stressed out on days I have a dance lesson in the afternoon by the mere fact that I'm looking forward to dancing when I get out of work.

Don't you just love that about something that you enjoy?