Years ago, I woke up in the middle of surgery. Intubated, extremities strapped down, and under-anesthetized, I opened my eyes and understood the true meaning of helplessness. Then, thankfully I had the wherewithal to recognize that my heart rate was my only mode of communication. At that moment I thought, if I can spike my heart rate (not too difficult when you are completely terrified and largely incapacitated) then I can let the doctors and nurses know I am awake when I certainly shouldn’t be. As I held my breath, I felt my heart rate skyrocket, heard the nurse say that my IV tube was kinked and then everything went black. It was only later, in the recovery room that I realized the impact of controlling my heart rate.
In competitive environments, awareness of and control over your heart rate plays a key role in managing high-stakes situations. During these pressure-packed moments, when the brain perceives threat, a danger message is sent to the rest of your body and the excitatory nervous system activates. Your heart and breath rate quicken in order to deliver more blood and oxygen to muscles needed in moments of survival.
Fortunately, we can consciously slow our breath rate (the opposite of what I did in the operating room), signaling to the brain and body that we are not in danger. With training, you can learn to slow your breathing down in stressful situations, signaling safety and helping you remain calm under pressure. Devices like a Whoop band have been revolutionary in building an awareness of this brain-body connection. Ultimately, we have control of our breath, which means we have control of our heart, and if we have control of our heart, we have control of our experience, mentally and physically.
Do you notice your heart and breath rate in stressful moments?
How do your heart and breath rate affect your performance?