Performance anxiety is commonly seen in sportsmen. Carrying the collective expectations of an entire nation on one’s shoulders isn’t easy. But what about those who don’t move a muscle, except of course occasionally stretching the arm to reach for popcorn? We are talking about the fans. Watching sports can be severely taxing. World Cup season is particularly hard on people who experience severe anxiety while watching sports. But switching off the television won’t help. Constant updates on the phones, Whatsapp groups and social media can get the best of you. If the situation sounds familiar, you are among many who experience anxiety while watching sports. The intense highs and lows of the game can increase risks of nervous breakdowns and even heart attacks. If this ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 season has been tough on you, here’s how you can function normally. But first…

What Happens to Your Brain When You Watch Sports

It goes without saying that watching your team makes you feel better. But what if they lose? While watching sports, your neurotransmitters and hormones are constantly at play. Anxiety Isn’t All That Bad! Study Says It Helps You Remember Better.

A Redditor explains: “Sports are too stressful for me to watch. I don't get emotionally invested in the score, but for example, I tried to watch the Olympics once and almost cried when a gymnast didn't stick her landing, imaging how awful she must feel in that moment, after having trained so hard and with so many people watching her.”

That’s exactly how sports anxiety feels. We tend to internalise the feelings of the sportsmen we support. When your side wins, the feel-good hormone dopamine, which directly affects the brain’s reward and pleasure centre, is secreted.

But when your side is losing, your body experiences stress, releasing the notorious stress hormone cortisol. And nobody wants that because nothing good ever happens if you have too much cortisol in your system.

Your brain may also release less serotonin, the happy hormone, making you feel more agitated and depressed at the thought of your team losing.

The human brain cannot differentiate between your actions and the actions of the sports team you are supporting. The sports teams we follow are part of our identity and self-worth.

How to Deal With Sports Anxiety

The best way to deal with anxiety while watching sports is to remind yourself it’s just a game. Learn to disassociate yourself from it. The team’s wins and losses won’t affect you in the real world.

Learn to take a deep breath if you feel a tightening in your chest. Deep breathing and pranayamas can help release some of the anxiety.

However, if you feel light-headed or experience pain in your chest, don’t take it lightly. Visit the doctor at the earliest.

If nothing seems to work, don’t watch the game. Turn off the notifications, mute the Whatsapp group and avoid discussing it.

No matter what the outcome of the game, you will still have your job, your set of friends and family and your share of problems the next day. The sun won’t stop rising from the east or setting in the west.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 10, 2019 06:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).