The theory of biorhythms was developed at the beginning of the 1900s by two European doctors, Dr Wilhelm Fliess in Berlin and Dr Hermann Swoboda in Vienna. They noticed that people have active and passive cycles in their physical and emotional behaviour. The physical cycle lasts 23 days and the emotional one 28 days. Later, Friedrich Teltscher added the intellectual cycle, which lasts 33 days.
Each cycle consists of two halves, active and passive, or high and low, running from the best day to the worst. The day on which a cycle passes from one half to the other is called a critical day. On critical days we are more prone to accidents, emotional and physical instability, and mistakes.
The physical cycle
- High – you have physical stamina, enjoy good health and general fitness, and respond well to medication
- Critical – you are susceptible to illness or accidents
- Low – you need rest, because you tire easily and feel tense.
The emotional cycle
- High – you are creative and sensitive, in a good mood and tolerant of everything
- Critical – you are irritable, on an emotional edge, and easily hurt by others.
- Low – you feel down and frustrated, and would rather be alone than in other people’s company
The intellectual cycle
- High – you learn easily, feel more self-assured and think clearly
- Critical – you are prone to misunderstandings and find it hard to make decisions.
Low – you consider only what already exists and what you know, and reject new ideas.
