One morning, back in December of ’21, I woke up with a strange amount of energy. You could almost say a disturbing amount of energy. Since I wasn’t used to having energy, I was disturbed. Don’t get me wrong – it felt great. Here is my journal for that day:
If you can’t read my terrible handwriting, it says:
Crazy energy this morning. Woke up early (4:10 AM) feeling energetic, motivated to do something, and happy… Literally bouncing around the kitchen this morning after walking. I think it must have to do with weight lifting. I am giving this day 5-stars for energy! Perhaps I’ll start tracking my days like this… Perhaps I’ll write that book about energy I’ve always wanted to write…
The question that began this quest wasn’t “Why am I so tired all the time?” The quest couldn’t even begin until I had enough energy to start. It required a rare, random day of energy to spark the question, “Why do I have so much energy?”
But that alone could not have solidified my resolve. Here is my journal from the very next day:
Again, if you can’t read my chicken scratch, here it is:
Another early morning (4:08 AM) with good energy. I don’t know why I have so much energy unless it has something to do with quitting drinking (5th day without alcohol). Today I’m still excited about the (energy) book, which helps with my energy levels. I’m also curious about my testosterone…
Concern: After dinner, the kids were playing tag and Jake was ‘it’. He had a very hard time keeping up with the other kids. He had to stop multiple times to catch his breath. Henry eventually came up to him and offered him his hand to tag. He is a kind-hearted boy and I’m glad Lily likes him. But I was concerned about Jake. I don’t want my boy to feel insecure. I know how I have struggled with running and energy my whole life.
You can see how I was casting about for answers. Why did I have so much energy? Did it have to do with exercise (weight lifting)? Or quitting alcohol? Or mood (being excited about writing this book)? Or testosterone? And why did my son have so little energy compared to boys his age and general fitness? Is this a genetic trait I’ve passed down to him? Is that why my father sleeps 20 hours per day?
These two days collided in my head, scattering shards of questions throughout my brain. What gives us energy? What takes it away? What factors are more important than others? How do those systems influence each other? And why isn’t this known? 90% of adults drink caffeine daily. We obviously have an energy problem. Is caffeine helping or hurting? Is this genetically fixed or can I take control of my own energy and save my son’s life? What kind of impact did fatigue have on my life? How could more energy change my son’s life?
These are the questions I have. And to answer these questions has become my quest.
