May is Mental Health Awareness month, and if there’s a certain group which needs to learn more about mental health, it is definitely the athletes. The world of sports compels us to be the best ‘physical’ version of ourselves. However, for an athlete to have better performance and longevity in their game, mental health needs to take the spotlight.
In this blogpost, I will be delving into some rare and unique mental health habits an athlete can practice. These can be easily put to use even if you are not an athlete. After all, we are all players in this game of life.
Uncommon Habits for Athlete Mental Well-being
I am sure that most of you are aware of the most common mental health habits for athletes. For example, mindfulness and visualization are things sport psychologists and elite athletes almost always talk about.
However, there are numerous other mental health habits and tips that can also be used. I hope to cover unconventional habits in this list, just to keep things interesting and also for you to gain some additional insights into the ever-changing and holistic world of sport psychology.
- Laughter Yoga
- Color Therapy
- Bio-feedback
- Mindful Eating
- Aromatherapy
Laughter Yoga
Laughter Yoga or Laughing Yoga has been around for quite a while, after it was discovered by Dr. Madan Kataria in Mumbai in the 90’s. Laughter Yoga combines breathing exercises along with deliberate laughter and has been theorized to bring numerous physical, as well as mental health benefits.
According to Dr. Kataria, the simulated laughter produces the same or similar effects of actual laughter, such as, increased dopamine levels and improved circulation, both of which are fantastic for overall health.
For best results, Laughter Yoga is almost always practiced in a group setting, with an instructor guiding the members through prompts and cues. This optimal group setting of Laughter Yoga also can help in social connections and bonding.
Many celebrities have come forward to advocate the use of Laughter Yoga. For example, Oprah Winfrey has often spoken about Laughter Yoga in her reality show. The media mogul has also claimed that Laughter Yoga has helped in reducing her stress and improving her well-being.
As an athlete, Laughter Yoga can be spectacular in instantly uplifting your mood and energy levels. Bonus points, because this unconventional form of yoga is also great in improving your control and regulation of breathing, which in turn positively affects your performance.
Color Therapy
As the name goes, Color Therapy uses the power of colors to improve the quality of health. There is not much research in the area of Color Therapy or Chromotherapy, with many people calling it quackery.
However, colors hold plenty of power in affecting our mood. Take for example your wardrobe today. We often wear brightly colored clothing, or like a tasty pop of color when we are feeling happy and joyous. But, we might not do so when we are down in the blues.
Color Therapy associates different colors or hues with different properties. For instance, the color ‘blue’ is associated with calmness, while ‘yellow’ is associated with self-confidence. On the other hand, the color ‘green’ is associated with harmony and healing.
Those who believe in Color Therapy may use it in different ways, such as, visualizing the colors, wearing specific colors, or even using colored light. They may also decorate their homes or workspaces using a specific set of colors to evoke certain thoughts or feelings.
As an athlete, there are several ways you can incorporate Color Therapy into your mental routine. One great way is to use ‘Color Breathing.’ Simply think of a color that relaxes you, and visualize yourself inhaling this color. Next, think of a color that stresses you out, and visualize exhaling it. Repeat it until you feel all the tension leaving your body. This technique can be a superb add-on when you are creating your pre-performance routine.
Bio-feedback
Biofeedback or Biofeedback therapy is a technique where a person controls or regulates certain automatic bodily functions, such as breathing and heart rate. This alternative medicine is being increasingly used in the world of sports, particularly through the use of technology and data-science.
Biofeedback can be used for multiple purposes, but is particularly useful in the reduction of performance anxiety and stress. The principle is basically increasing awareness of these physiological actions, which in turn will help you gain better control of your responses to stressors.
Today, different types of biofeedback are used by many elite athletes during training. Respiratory biofeedback, which allows the athlete to regulate their breathing patterns, can be quite useful in bringing down your stress levels. This can also help in promoting oxygen levels for your muscles during performance.
Another type of biofeedback which is used today is Heart Rate Variability Monitoring, or HRV monitoring. Here, the heart-rate of the athlete is calculated through sensors, while training or performing. This parameter can come in handy when an athlete wants to avoid burnouts through overtraining, and wants to enhance recovery.
Some athletes also use ‘Neurofeedback’, which focuses on mental training. For example, Kirk Cousins, an NFL quarterback, incorporates this type of biofeedback into his training in order to improve his focus and response times.
Mindful Eating
Mindful eating essentially combines mindfulness with eating. When you eat mindfully, you pay close attention to the food you are eating and the senses that are enjoying your food. Believe it or not, food actually brings up many emotions and feelings. This is why some of us eat more when we are depressed, while some of us starve ourselves when things are not going our way.
Through mindful eating, you will be able to harness the power of these feelings and emotions, making your mind focused and sharper. Furthermore, it brings you into tune with your inner-self, which is incredibly potent in shaping you as a person.
As athletes, you are almost always at risk of being affected by diet culture. Seeing food as an enemy, or only as fuel, can mess with your body-image and energy levels. This is why eating mindfully becomes even more important for sportspersons. Drop me a message at mindyourwicket@gmail.com if you want to know more about mindful eating.
Novak Djokovic is a brilliant example of an athlete who prioritizes mindful eating. The tennis player once quoted, “If you want to know my diet secret, don’t ask me what I eat. Ask me how I eat.” Djokovic eats his food very slowly and takes time after each bite to concentrate on chewing.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is just another game-changing therapy that an increasing number of athletes are taking a liking to. Here, the aroma from different essential oils is used to improve physical as well as mental well-being. Different essential oils are theorized to produce different emotional effects.
Just like your taste-buds, your sense of smell is also responsible for numerous emotions and feelings. Think about a favorite memory. If you visualize it well enough, you can almost remember the various smells from that particular memory. Many times a distinct smell is enough to kick off a nostalgic ride in your mind.
In addition to improving mood, essential oils may also improve your mental clarity and focus; which is why many athletes use them in their daily routines. For example, snowboarder Jamie Anderson takes her essential oils with her wherever she goes in order to create a relaxing and calm atmosphere. Inhaling relaxing scents before your performance can also help in preventing choking under pressure.
Conclusion
Just like these mental health habits discussed above, there are many other uncommon habits that elite athletes are inculcating in their daily lives. Whether it is Light Therapy, Nature Immersion Therapy, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy or even Cryotherapy, the list goes on and on. This goes to show that mental health and wellness are never one-size fits all recipes.
You can always try new things and see if they work for you. At the same time, it is important to strategically plan and decide what habit you want to include in your routine with the help of a professional. If you have any questions about these habits, ask away at mindyourwicket@gmail.com
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9254653/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3917183/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349426950_COLOR_THERAPY_IN_MENTAL_HEALTH_AND_WELL_BEING
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297510/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353007855_Biofeedback_in_sport_and_education
https://www.myndlift.com/post/at-home-neurofeedback-guide-for-2024
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001033
MindYourWicket 
Leave a comment