Conference hydra::dejavu

    	Just how does this "bio-rythm chart" measure such aspects of
    oneself?
    
    	What are its credentials?  (I'm talking from the medical field)
    
    	Larry
    

    From what I remember about bio-rhythm charts, they are based on
    the idea that there is a natural cycle that starts at birth and
    continues through your life.  It affects EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, and
    PHYSICAL...I think.  It's been a long time since I've been
    involved with the bio-rhythm concept, but I think that when
    you're on the negative side of a cycle (say, EMOTIONAL), you're 
    more prone to experience the negative aspects of emotions...and
    when you're on the positive side of a cycle, you're more prone
    to experience the positive aspects of emotions.
    
    Since all three cycles move differently, there can actually be
    times when all of them are low or high at the same time.  Also,
    I think I remember that when you're at the mid-point between the
    positive and negative, it can be considered a critical day...or
    rather, a day of extra intensity in that area.
    
    When I charted my bio-rhythm, I did it for the previous few months.
    Then I looked to see if the upsets in my life fell on the critical
    days, and they did!  It was very interesting, but I lost track of
    it after awhile.  I didn't want to use it to chart my future because
    I didn't want to be swayed into creating what the chart said *might*
    happen.
    
    Again, my memory of how bio-rhythms work may be incorrect.  I just
    thought I would offer what I remember in case no one else is more
    knowledgeable with it.
        
    Jerri

    Re: .2
    
    Probably not based no too much. The only thing it asks you for is
    your date of birth, then the months you want charted. That's the
    only input it gets.
    
    It's probably more of a novelty thing than anything else. I would
    like to know how to read the thing though. I think the physical
    and intellectual aspects are probably self explanatory. Plus is
    good, negative is less than good. Not sure about the emotional part
    though. The plus side could be either good or bad depending on how
    you look at it.
    
    Any ideas??????
    
    
    Steve

    As I recall, contrary to what you'd expect, "plus" and "minus"
    are really pretty much irrelevant.  The only thing that is supposed
    to matter is when the individual curves cross zero.  As Jerri
    said above, this is a "critical" day.  A day that is critical
    for two curves at once is a potential trouble time; a triple
    critical day is a good day to stay home in bed.
    
    Regardless of whether there was anything in the original concept
    of independent physical, intellectual, and emotional cycles,
    it seems obvious that the current implementation of the biorhythm
    idea is, as you say, nothing but a novelty.  Consider the
    variability of every known characteristic of human beings; then
    consider the plausibility of these three cycles, with lengths
    of exact integral numbers of days, exactly the same for every
    person...
    
	-Neil

    The basis behind biorhythms is mostly statistical, there are a few
    theories to explain them but none have ever been proven. Some think
    that the cycles represent hormone changes in the body, others
    attribute them to nervous system regulator chemicals (whose name I
    have just completely forgotten), and still others suggest external
    forces (sun and moon, etc.). 
    
    The original work that identified biorhythms was done in the early
    part of this century by a doctor studying patients recovering in
    a hospital. He identified a pattern to the patient's good days
    and bad days that he characterized as two alternating cycles. He
    called these male (the 21 day cycle) and female (27 day). Most
    of what he learned concerned the so called critical days that occur
    when the lines of your chart cross the center. He found that more
    patients had problems and set backs to their recovery on these
    days than other days when the cycles were either high or low. He
    also found that the problems were more severe on days when both
    cycles crossed on the same day.
    
    In latter studies he also identified a third cycle he called neutral
    (the 33 day cycle). The names of the cycles were later changed
    to physical, emotional, and mental based on some theory he had
    that didn't really pan out, but the names stuck. Current understanding
    only suggests that the shorter cycles have a stronger influence
    than the longer ones.
    
    Enough history, how to read your chart. The most important aspect of
    the biorhythm are the critical days. A critical day occurs when any of
    the cycles cross the center line, either up or down makes no
    difference. On these days your body is in a condition of imbalance and
    you are therefore prone to making mistakes and having accidents (note
    that this aspect of the biorhythm phenomena is heavily supported by
    statistics, mostly gathered from the insurance business). When two or
    all three of the lines cross on the same day the effect is increased.
    It is on these double or triple critical days that you are most likely
    to have major problems. (The only auto accident I have ever had, in
    which I was at fault, occurred on a double critical day.) 
    
    The effect of high (+) and low (-) cycles is mainly supported by
    sports statistics. It is believed that when your cycles are high your
    energies are peaked and that when low you are in a resting mode. Both
    states are normal and are only significant when all three of the
    cycles are on the same side of the center line at once. If they are
    all below (-) the line you could be in a slump (several baseball teams
    use biorhythms and will not start a pitcher in this state). If they
    are all above the line (+) then you may be on a roll (when Mark Spitz
    won 6 gold medals in swimming at the Olympics all three of his cycles
    were at there highest point at the same time). 
    
    All of this is based on the theory that your three cycles all start
    at the center line on the day you are born (your first breath is
    thought to be the trigger) and that they progress in a precise
    cycle from that point on. The cycles are 21 days (physical), 27
    days (emotional), and 33 days (mental or cognitive) and make a
    complete sine wave (one full zero-to-top-to-bottom-to-zero) each
    period.
    
    All of this has been based solely on statistical information, there
    is no medical explanation for it and it is not recognized by the
    AMA. 
    

    Paul.

    
    BTW - I was not aware that biorhythm was defined in the DECspell
    dictionary. (I left out the first h :-)

    
    	I've been told that there is a bio-rhythm program on the system
    somewhere and I was wondering if anyone could point me to it.  I
    would appreciate any info on how I could get a program to chart
    biorhytms.  Thanks in advance.
    					Matt

    Better late than never.  We have the program installed on our cluster
    if anyone is still interested in this.
    
    You can copy it from:    BOOKIE::SYS$GAMES:BIORHYTHM.EXE
    
    The file size is only 9 blocks, so you don't have to worry about it hogging
    disk space.
                        
    The program produces an output file that can be printed on any 132
    column line printer.
                        
    
    --Jeff Hebert