Til its Done!

Sport is full of ups and downs. Stress and excitement go hand in hand. The highs and lows are an emotional rollercoaster, that many of us experienced watching The Matildas, play France in the Quarter-final a couple weeks ago.

Penalty shootouts in the Quarter finals of a Home World Cup are not relaxing!

And whilst the Matildas have a team of professionals behind them to get them Game Ready for such situations, what about us poor spectators?

When the crowd is cheering and the sports commentators are telling us it is life or death or Sudden knock out… We might feel the adrenaline in our body start to take hold in the form of Adrenaline Anxiety.

Common symptoms of Adrenaline Anxiety may look like:

-??????Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)

-??????Rapid Heart Beat (tachycardia)

-??????Shaking or trembling

-??????Sweating

Adrenaline is essential for survival as it prepares your body to deal with danger. A part of the brain called the amygdala sends signals to another part called the hypothalamus that danger is about. The hypothalamus then signals this danger to the rest of your body via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), triggering the fight-flight or freeze response.?

The adrenal glands receive this signal and start releasing adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) into your bloodstream. Adrenaline can perform many functions, but its key role is to protect us from threats real or perceived.

So, what can we do to keep stress levels and our Adrenaline Anxiety down:

• Get enough sleep, exercise and eat well
• Do fun and relaxing things, i.e. .go for a walk, ride a bike, see a movie, or hang out with friends.

If you are feeling the effects, of Adrenaline Anxiety try:

• Deep breathing:?Take a deep breath and hold it in for about 5 seconds, then release it slowly.
• Muscle relaxation:?Contract (flex) a group of muscles tightly. Keep them flexed for about 5 seconds, then release. Repeat the exercise five times, then move to a different muscle group.
• Move your body gently: Walking on the spot
• Mindfulness:?Focus on the present instead of worrying about the future or the past.
• Going to a happy place:?Picture a peaceful place or event. Imagine stress flowing away from the body.
• Think positively and develop positive self-talk:?Say “Isn’t it wonderful our team has done so well to get to this point?” "I'm in control of my feelings"
• Remember, no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes in sports — it's part of the game. Be quick to forgive mistakes and move on.

And if matches get stressful you can always close your eyes and breathe for a moment, that’s the privilege us spectators have.

Go the Matildas!!!

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