acclimation

By definition, acclimation is “the process in which an individual organism adjusts to a change in its environment (such as altitude, temperature, humidity, photoperiod, or pH), allowing it to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions.”

Does “allowing it to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions” mean getting to a place where one can positively maintain performance? Or does it mean simply maintaining under the set of conditions, even if at a low-level?

What if the environmental conditions inherently work against the individual’s physiological makeup? Would the individual eventually get to a point where the conditions no longer cause harm or illness?

I’m finding that my well-being has been compromised. Upon return two and a half days ago my energy was up, my body was feeling good, I felt rested and happy.

Right here, right now I have sensations in my body that are not at all unlike a hangover — dull ache behind my eyes, tiredness even though I’m getting a lot of sleep, extreme thirst even though I’m drinking a ton of water, physical pain that’s indicative of funky sleep, waking up in the middle of the night even though I’ve had no sugar or alcohol in almost two weeks. I’m frustrated because I had plans for this week that did not look like what’s currently unfolding. 

I’ve been on a clean diet for close to two weeks and have even shed a few pounds, typically things that make me feel clear, light and rested. Instead, for the past couple days, I’ve been lethargic and physically achy like I’ve been on a steady diet of fried food and alcohol. 

The only change has been with my actual environment. The high altitude and dry climate made my friends think that I’m probably experiencing altitude sickness. Kind of strange since I was raised at a higher altitude and have lived in this one for the past six years. Spending three weeks away I wouldn’t think would have such an impact. But let’s say that’s what’s happening.

When I think about how I felt before leaving town, before pushing pause on the things that were causing mental, physical and emotional stress, it’s incredibly close to how I feel right now. While I was gone, the stress dissipated immediately, my body felt rested, my mind felt clear and sharp. 

It’s easy to think that the anticipation of work might be influencing things, except I’m not really thinking about it, and when I do, I’m not getting the twinges of anxiety or dread I was getting before. I feel pretty grounded in what I have to do when I walk through those doors on Monday.

Here’s what I’m thinking, while the anxiety, exhaustion and stomach problems I’ve been experiencing for some time are definitely connected to work stuff, the actual environment I live in may be contributing in a much bigger way than I’ve been aware of. 

I remembered this week that when I lived in Hawaii I would get these really crazy headaches. Not migraines exactly, but debilitating spasmodic headaches. They’d occur two to ten times a day and last just a few seconds. They were so bad and scary that I went to see a neurologist and had an MRI done. Nothing showed up. After seeing an allergist I learned that I’m allergic to almost every single native plant that grows there. After moving, the headaches went away immediately.

The physical manifestations in my body now have me thinking that I just might be allergic to this place too.