Feeling nervous?

It is a natural thing to feel and everyone suffers at some point in their lives. Feeling nervous can actually be beneficial, particularly before a sporting performance...

Your body reacts to anxiety by releasing important hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These are the hormones that give you the ‘butterflies’ feeling in the pit of your stomach, along with an increased heart rate.

As a product of this, your alertness is also increased providing your body with heightened senses. This in turn improves reaction times, a key component for activities such as tennis. 

Adrenaline and cortisol also have the ability to break down glycogen, providing glucose to your muscles. This is a vital energy source for your muscles during exercise.

However, if you are getting butterflies at inconvenient times, here are a few methods to calm your body down:

• Take a deep breath – Stop what you are doing and focus on your feet being firmly on the ground. Soften your knees, relax your shoulders, your jaws and take a few deep breaths in and out.
• Question your thoughts – When you’re worried, your mind plays all kinds of tricks on you. Take a moment to just question what your brain is conjuring up. Remind yourself that it isn’t a catastrophe.
• Talk to someone – Don’t bottle up your thoughts. Talking can help you rationalise what you are thinking and you may get some helpful advice in return. Be sure to choose the right person and not somebody that may heighten your nerves.