Dana's Grand Canyon Rim-To-Rim Hike

This week, I got all my workouts in and walked about 10,000 steps every day. I was on vacation which made walking easy. The long hike, a total of 12 miles, was on Saturday. It was HOT! At 8am it was already 80 degrees! Good training conditions for the hike in the canyon where temps at the bottom can reach 100 degrees in October. Hopefully not but possible. The most challenging thing about walking 12 miles is its boring! AND LONG – It took me 4 hours to complete. It’ll be better on the actual hike with other people to talk to.

This week’s ataxia fact:

Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) affects the part of the brain that controls movement and balance. This same part of the brain also plays a role during sleep. Because of this, many people with SCA—more than half—struggle with sleep problems. These may include acting out dreams (REM sleep behavior disorder), feeling the urge to move their legs (restless leg syndrome), unusual leg movements during sleep, and even sleep apnea.

Poor sleep doesn’t just make you tired—it can also affect thinking, mood, and coordination. For people with SCA, not getting enough quality sleep can make symptoms worse and reduce the benefits of therapy.

Looking forward to the week ahead! Until next time…….