Everyone thinks more stress is a bad thing, but it’s important to understand why this isn’t entirely true.
Most athletes have a sweet spot of stress - not too much, but not too little. Very few athletes have the issue of not feeling enough activation or energy for a game. It’s usually the opposite - jitters, heart racing, overthinking, and other symptoms of the stress response in overdrive.
That’s why sport psychology focuses on developing tools for athletes that reels them in from a stress response in overdrive back into the sweet spot.
Everyone’s ideal level of stress is different. Consider this question to become aware of yours:
What energy level, on a scale of 1-10, most reliably leads to your best performances?
Some athletes prefer to be even-keeled, around a 5 or 6. Others like to be bouncing off the walls near an 8 or 9. Fewer prefer the zen-like state near a 2 or 3, but it might work for you.
You may have a good idea of your starting energy number, but it’s important to become aware and check-in with how accurate this is over a few weeks during practices and games. If you’re wrong, consistency is going to be a difficult trait to develop.
Once you’re confident in the area of activation your body operates best at, you have a destination to shoot for through mental skills.
The best tool for managing your stress response is breathing because of how it directly influences the nervous system, which is responsible for things like heart rate, muscle tension, digestion, and more.
There are 2 ways you can focus on breathing to reel in your stress response into your sweet spot.
Extending Your Exhale
Your inhale activates part of your nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, that ramps up activity. Exhaling does the opposite. Think of it like your inhale is the gas pedal of your body, while your exhale acts as the brakes that slow you down.
Spending a few minutes with a longer exhale than your inhale will bring heart rate - and energy number - down.
Consider these cues: breathe in like you’re smelling flowers; exhale like you’re breathing through a straw.
Engaging the diaphragm
Engage your diaphragm to help activate the same part of your nervous system. When relaxed, the diaphragm is ballooned up which caves into your lungs, leaving less room for them to expand. Many people aren’t familiar with engaging the diaphragm because it isn’t necessary for survival - we can survive through chest breathing just fine, it’s just not ideal.
Train yourself to engage the diaphragm by resting one hand on your belly - below your rib cage and above the bellybutton. Rest your other hand on your chest. Inhaling through your nose, or mouth if it’s easier, try and breathe into the bottom hand. Your top hand might raise a little bit, but your bottom hand should be moving more. Try it laying down first. If that bottom hand is moving out, that means the diaphragm is being engaged.
These two breathing mechanics can help you come down from the red zone of stress into the green zone so you can perform more optimally.
Being in the red zone doesn’t necessarily mean panic attack - it could just be butterflies in your stomach or tense muscles. One thing is for sure, they create unpleasant symptoms that aren’t ideal for performance.
There are so many ways to integrate breathing into your routines that leave you feeling your best, that it’s not a mental skill that should be overlooked.
If you’re interested in having your own sport psychology coach for individualized training, click the button below to schedule a free call with me to discuss your obstacles to success, learn about how I can help you, and determine if we’d be a good fit to move forward.
