I covered 2.9 miles walking today and think I’ve got my balance issue under control. Over this past year in a half to two years, things have gradually changed with regard to my balance. It started with me occasionally feeling like I had no sense of direction when out walking for a minute here and there. Of late though, I start feeling slightly off balance about two minutes into a walk unless I’m exerting myself to move at a fast pace.
My own phone has occasionally clocked me walking at close to five miles per hour when road conditions permit. And… If I had a service dog with me, that kind of speed would more than likely still be an everyday occurrence. “I am strong!”
I know that when I get moving over long distances my blood pressure drops. It always has. Me first discovering this at age 29, having walked 9 miles to my doctor’s office for a physical so I could attend Sussex County Community College.
I was informed during that office visit by my physician at the time that I shouldn’t be talking let alone standing with a blood pressure of 85 over 50. But there I was, “Doing both!”
I was warned at that point that my blood pressure drops could be a problem for me down the line. In some ways it already was, especially if I overexerted myself between the sheets. But… Being a full-blooded American male, I’ve always found ways to manage that so it wouldn’t be an impedance on anyone’s pleasure factor. “I’m good!”
But now… I’m guessing that time the good doctor was talking about has finally arrived. So… I’ve been working to figure out what the trigger for the spells are and struck gold after recently using my spin bike one evening.
I noticed that when I was spinning, I didn’t feel like my balance or sense of direction was impaired in any way. As I spun, I played around with different positions a bit to see if it had anything to do with holding on to the bike. I realized that wasn’t a factor, especially when I finally got off the bike and was easily able to walk around my apartment.
Then it hit me. “When I spin, I breathe!”
When walking my breathing tends to be rather shallow. The only time I breathe deeply when walking is when I go up a hill or am moving at a fast clip.
Some of this is due to my desire to be able to hear as much as humanly possible when navigating the fine town of Newton, NJ. I certainly know that stress is a factor sometimes, too. And… If I’m honest with myself, “Walking in Newton New Jersey can be stressful!”
So… Simple solution? “Breathe Brian Breathe!”
I wouldn’t be surprised if my blood pressure isn’t linked to mood swings sometimes, too. Given what I’ve learned about the brain of late from licensed mental health professionals and how blood flow can be used by parts of the brain to partially determine what roll they’re going to play in brain function… In my mind? “It’s a no brainer!”
But… This is the way I was built. So… I adapt, “Like I’ve always done.”