Three mindfulness practices that NFL stars adopt before their big game

We live in a world where life is so fast-paced that finding peace can often feel difficult. The idea of being fully in the moment and present before any big game is down to the act of mindfulness. When you practice this, you can overcome stress, improve your focus, and be on a solid path to improved overall wellness. Whether you’re an aspiring sports star like your favorite NFL player, or you’re just a busy individual looking to lead a healthy, active life — mindfulness can help anybody who is looking to mentally improve their daily activities. We’re going to be diving into the world of mindfulness, taking a look at what it is, and giving you three tips to add it to your lifestyle. Let’s go!

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness isn’t something tangible that you can buy: it’s the act of being fully present and aware of where you are. We all try to not get overwhelmed with daily life or overly reactive, but to do this, you need to add mindful practices into your routine. Every human possesses the ability to use these tools, and it’s not something you can conjure up. The main challenge is learning how to access these coping mechanisms, and using them to improve your lifestyle.

Take sports stars for example — there is plenty of stress, nerves, and sometimes tiredness that crops up surrounding the biggest games. For the NFL players to calm their minds and prepare, they all have their coping mechanisms in place. This may be breathing exercises, ways to relax, and more! Those in high-pressure industries like the NFL all use mindfulness in their everyday lives — as it helps the player’s performance and mental well-being. The NFL total revenue surpasses $18 billion every single year, proving that there are extremely high stakes for both the players and the teams.

This type of pressure is what causes the players, coaches, and everyone else around them to take up new types of mindfulness to help combat the stresses, pressure, and mental health challenges. If players with such great stresses over their heads can learn to overcome the challenges of pressure, then just imagine how these techniques can transform your life too. Let’s look at some of their coveted favorites that you can add to your lifestyle.

1.  Morning rituals

Above all else, you must make sure that your day begins on a high. To do this, you can access many breathing exercises that can set you up for the day. Breathing routines, stretching, and even journaling are great ways to begin addressing your stressful endeavors — and it’s something that highly stressed athletes incorporate into their days. By adding some of these routines into your day, you can feel centered, focused, and ready to face the day ahead. Here are some top tips you should add to your morning:

Mindful breathing: Start your day with a couple of minutes of mindful, deep breathing. Find yourself a comfy place to sit and relax, then close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths. It may seem small, but it works brilliantly in aiding stresses and improving mental clarity.

Stretching: We aren’t talking about a full-throttle gym workout — we’re talking about a slow, simple stretch. Focus on how your body moves and how it feels for each stretch, and you can feel more in tune with yourself. This helps wake your body up from its restful state, instead of it being such a shock to the system when you leave the house.

Set some intentions: Giving yourself some positive intentions for your day truly sets the tone for how you will feel. Think about what you want to achieve and how you want your day to play out. NFL players do this before their games, as it improves their peak performance and makes them feel positive.

2. Mindful eating

We’ve all heard of the phrase “you are what you eat” — but to an extent, it is true. Nutrition isn’t just about staying fit and healthy; it’s about how it makes you feel when you eat. Sports stars may keep to a healthy routine, but they’re well equipped to understand their bodies and fuel them with the goodness that they need. Try eating slower and savoring each bite, instead of being overcome by the rushes of your day.  Mindful eating is thought to be very beneficial.

Lunch break calls for a quick one-hour lunch, which is when we sometimes forget to focus on the food and finish it too quickly. Try taking the full lunch hour to truly appreciate the food’s taste, texture, and sensations — and you too, can become aware of how your body reacts and feels to the mindful eating practice.

3. Evening mindfulness

The biggest part of your mindfulness journey starts with a good night’s rest. To ensure you hit the correct amount of REM sleep, we recommend putting your phone down before bed and unwinding peacefully. Try adopting new routines like journaling, reading, meditating, and more — which can all help add to a beneficial night’s rest. You could even try going to a spa during the day to make sure you’re fully unwound before bed. If you have a big game the morning after a night’s rest, or you’re taking some exams, the best thing that you can do for your mind and body is to get the right amount of sleep. Take it easy, rest well, and your mindful practices are already off to an amazing start.