By studying the experience of professional athletes, scientists have discovered how they manage to channel stress in a positive direction.
Almost everyone wants to know how to reduce stress. However, changing our attitude towards stress can actually help us improve our well-being, including mental health, as well as help us cope better with stressful situations in the future.
Athletes can learn this. They face stressful situations every day, both during the race or match, and after, for example, when the results are announced or during interviews with journalists.
Athletes view stress not as a negative factor, but as a source of energy and motivation. According to one , athletes who viewed stress as a positive or reinforcing factor had higher levels of mental health.
studies conducted in the US and Australia have shown that people who perceive stress as a stimulus increase productivity at work, improve mental health and academic performance. There is also a link between positive thinking and how people deal with stressful situations, such as viewing difficult tasks as a challenge rather than a threat.
Of course, athletes are a little different from ordinary people. But that doesn’t mean we can’t also learn to change our own stressful thinking to improve our mental health. Here’s what you can put into practice.
How to rethink stress?
Visualize a stressful situation and how you will react to it. For example, imagine that you need to give a presentation at work.
Think of any symptoms of stress you may be experiencing, such as heart palpitations.
Welcome these feelings, don’t ignore them, and realize that they are meant to help you focus and increase your energy.
Finally, imagine that you are using this reaction to move forward under pressure. It may seem difficult at first, but with practice, we can all learn how to use visualization to reframe stress.
Of course, chronic stress is associated with a range of negative health effects. But if we emphasize that stress is not always distress, it will help us improve our mental health, performance and productivity.