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How do you mentally reset after a bad athletic performance?

Updated: Jul 16

Have you ever wondered how athletes mentally recover after a victory, a loss, an exhilarating match, or a challenging one? You might not have considered a post-match mental recovery plan – and that's perfectly normal, as many athletes haven't either. Yet, if you aspire to maximise your sporting performance, it's essential to prioritise both physical and mental recovery after every game.


Athletes need post-match mental recovery strategies to optimise sporting performance.

This morning, I woke up thinking about Novak Djokovic after his loss in the 2024 Wimbledon final the night prior. I found myself wondering if elite athletes like him have post-match mental recovery routines specifically to manage emotions and disappointment effectively, so that the emotions don’t build up and linger. This curiosity led me to research existing post-game mental recovery strategies for athletes, to my surprise, I discovered there's few resources available on this topic.


Most often, an athlete's focus post-match is on physical recovery; you’ve heard of ice baths, stretching, team debriefs, post-match rub downs and re-fuelling the body with appropriate food, drinks and supplements to minimise soreness, but the act of incorporating a post-match mental recovery activity is not something that is commonplace, and it really should be if optimised performance is the goal. Let me explain why.


How do you mentally reset post-game?

No doubt many of us have experienced sleepless nights post-match whereby our minds were racing as we replayed various moments in an athletic performance trying to resolve what we could have done better. For this reason, post-game mental recovery is crucial because it helps you manage and process the psychological stress that comes with high-level competition. Incorporating post-game mental recovery strategies can help you decompress, reduce stress, sleep better that evening and enhance your mental resilience. Additionally, these strategies can improve focus, reduce anxiety, and prevent burnout, ensuring you maintain longevity and a healthy balance between your sporting and personal lives.


The impact of burnout and chronic stress on athletes: post-match mental recovery 

Research has shown that athletes who do not engage in mental recovery are more likely to experience burnout and chronic stress. This can lead to decreased performance and increased risk of mental health issues (Gustafsson et al., 2017). Additionally, mindfulness and other mental recovery techniques can significantly improve emotional regulation in athletes, reducing the risk of emotional exhaustion (Josefsson et al., 2014). Without adequate mental recovery prolonged stress negatively impacts cognitive functions, such as attention and memory, which is crucial for athletic performance (Smith, 2018).

When you fail to regularly engage in mental recovery post-game, several negative effects can accumulate over time. This neglect can lead to a range of psychological and physiological consequences that can impair performance, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Holding onto negative emotions after a match without an outlet for processing can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and burnout. You may find it increasingly difficult to manage your emotions, impacting your overall well-being and performance.


Decreased cognitive function

Just as a computer can become overloaded with data, your brain can become overwhelmed by the continuous stress and demands of high-level athletic performance. This can lead to cognitive fatigue, where the brain's ability to process information, make decisions, and maintain focus deteriorates. This can happen both during a match, or afterwards, where you continue to replay mistakes or poor choices and are unable to let them go. Insufficient mental recovery can impair your cognitive functioning such as concentration, decision-making, and reaction time, which are crucial for optimal athletic performance. Chronic stress and lack of mental recovery can also affect your memory, making it harder for you to learn and retain new skills and strategies.


Accumulation of mental stress and anxiety

When mental recovery is neglected, stress hormones like cortisol remain elevated, this can negatively impact both your physical health and mental wellbeing. Continuous exposure to high-levels of stress and anxiety, without adequate mental decompression, can lead to heightened performance anxiety, affecting future performances.


Increased risk of burnout

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. Athletes who do not engage in mental recovery are at a higher risk of burnout, which can lead to exhaustion, decreased performance, reduced personal accomplishment and even early retirement from the sport. Lack of mental recovery can lead to a decrease in motivation and enthusiasm for the sport, making it difficult for athletes to maintain training and performance levels.


Poor emotional regulation

Without proper mental recovery, athletes may become more irritable and prone to emotional outbursts (witnessed many of those on the tennis court, me included!), which can affect relationships with coaches, teammates, ourselves and others. This can also lead to strained relationships and a negative impact on team dynamics. Effective mental recovery after each match helps to better manage emotions and not let them pile up, reducing the likelihood of negative emotional responses during competition.


Physical health consequences

Psychological stress can manifest as physical symptoms, such as headaches, muscle tension, and gastrointestinal issues, which can hinder the ability to train and compete effectively. This can weaken your immune system, making you more prone to illness and infection, it can also increase the risk of physical injury. Stress affects muscle tension and coordination, which can make you more susceptible to strains, sprains, and other injuries. Additionally, if you are emotional dysregulated and you can lost connection with your body, this can lead to inaccurately interpreting pain levels and lead to injury.


Neurobiological consequences

Prolonged exposure to stress without adequate mental recovery can lead to the shrinkage of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is vital for memory formation and emotional regulation. Reduced hippocampal volume is associated with impaired cognitive function and an increased risk of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, chronic stress can impair neuroplasticity – which is the brain's ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections – making it harder for athletes to learn new skills, adapt to new strategies, and recover from setbacks. Athletes may find it harder to maintain focus, make quick decisions, and perform under pressure. This can result in more frequent errors, slower reaction times, and overall lower performance levels.


Impaired team dynamics and interpersonal relationships

Mental recovery in team sports involves processing team dynamics and emotions. Unaddressed feelings of anger, resentment, or jealousy towards teammates can harm your own performance and impact team cohesion. These emotions might arise from competition for positions or conflicts during play, accumulating to increase stress and anxiety. Unresolved emotions can subtly influence behaviour on the field, such as a player avoiding passing to a teammate, disrupting team strategy and trust. Emotional baggage can impair focus and decision-making, leading to a decline in performance. Athletes preoccupied with conflicts are less likely to be fully present during games and practices.


Incorporating sound therapy and sound baths into post-game routines can significantly enhance an athlete's mental recovery. By promoting relaxation, reducing cortisol levels, and training neural pathways for efficient down-regulation, therapeutic sound can help athletes achieve a balanced and resilient mental state, ultimately leading to improved performance and wellbeing.

Athlete post-match mental recovery strategies

To prevent these negative consequences, it's crucial for athletes to incorporate regular mental recovery practices into their routines. Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and particularly sound therapy can help mitigate the effects of stress and promote mental wellbeing.


Mindfulness and meditation: Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery post-match can help you calm your mind, reduce stress, and begin to process the game.

Journalling: Reflecting on performance and emotions post-match through journaling can provide clarity, offer insights and new solutions, and promote emotional regulation.

Visualisation: Mentally rehearsing successful outcomes or visualising alternative ways to have played an unsuccessful match can boost your confidence and prepare you for better success in future matches.

Formal open communication sessions: Providing a safe space for athletes or teams to openly discuss feelings in a safe setting can promote group cohesion, enable emotional release, reduce tension, improve harmony and foster team unity. Even in an individual sport incorporating these sessions with your fitness and coaching team can ensure everyone is on the same page. 

Silence: Sometimes silence is the perfect remedy post-match, a way to lower over-stimulation and bring yourself down from a heightened state of being, to one of calm and peace.


Benefits of sound therapy for athletes: post-match mental recovery

Sound therapy, such as a team sound bath or sound meditation can be a powerful tool for mental recovery after an intense match. A session involves immersing yourself in the sounds of instruments like gongs, singing bowls, and chimes. The vibrations are used to promote relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety, slow down brainwave activity, and enhance overall well-being. These vibrations can help bring the brain from a heightened state of post-match activity to a calmer, more restful state in a very rapid amount of time, sometimes even instantaneously.


Regular exposure to therapeutic sounds can train an athlete’s brain to down-regulate more efficiently. This process involves creating new neural pathways that enhance the brain's ability to transition from a state of high arousal to one of calm and relaxation; a very useful skill to have during a match. With time you can condition yourself to respond more effectively and quickly to these cues.


How sound therapy contributes to better athlete post-match mental recovery

Reduction in cortisol: Sound therapy lowers cortisol levels, facilitating a quicker recovery from the mental strain of competition. 

Enhanced neuroplasticity: A sound meditation session can support neuroplasticity, helping the brain form new connections and adapt to new challenges.

Improved emotional regulation: Regular use of therapeutic sound can help athletes manage emotions more effectively, enhancing mental resilience and a positive mind, while reducing emotional dysregulation and its associated negative impacts.

Enhanced focus: Guided sound meditations train the brain to stay present and focused, which is beneficial during high-pressure competition.


Incorporating sound therapy into a post-match recovery plan can significantly improve an athlete's mental wellbeing and performance outcomes. The versatility of sound therapy means sessions can be implemented immediately post-game and they can be combined with other post-game recovery strategies such as stretching, massage, or ice baths.


Athlete post-match mental recovery programs are the way of the future

Mental recovery plans that address both individual athletes and team dynamics are gaining traction in professional sports, albeit slowly. Some high-profile athletes and forward-thinking sports teams are leading the way, demonstrating just how crucial and beneficial these practices can be. Integrating sound therapy and other mental recovery techniques post-match offers a balanced approach to athlete physical and mental wellbeing and ultimately enhancing athletic performance outcomes. The ideal starting point for these practices is immediately after each game to prevent mental muscle soreness.


Ready to elevate your game?

Did this article resonate with you? Whether you're an athlete seeking to elevate your performance or a coach aiming to give your team an edge, consider incorporating sound therapy into your post-match routine. Experience firsthand how sound therapy can enhance your mental game and contribute to improved sporting performance. Reach out today to schedule a session and embark on your journey toward peak athletic performance.




References

Gustafsson, H., DeFreese, J. D., & Madigan, D. J. (2017). Athlete burnout: Review and recommendations. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 109-113.


Josefsson, T., Ivarsson, A., Lindwall, M., & Gustafsson, H. (2014). Mindfulness mechanisms in sports: Mediating effects of rumination and emotion regulation on sport-specific coping. Mindfulness, 5, 646-658.


Smith, A. (2018). The cognitive effects of chronic stress in athletes: A review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(15), 1715-1723.



 


This article is authored by Nicole Sultana, who holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sports Science/Human Movement, a Post Graduate Degree in Spiritual Care, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Business (Marketing). In addition, she is a Certified Therapeutic Sound Practitioner and a Death Doula. Nicole is the founder of Sound Consciousness, a company that offers wellbeing strategies and therapeutic sound practices to help individuals achieve peak performance in their professional lives, relationships, and personal aspirations.


If you found this article interesting, please leave a comment below and share it with others who might find it beneficial. Sharing our experiences helps us all learn, grow, and heal together. We welcome lively discussions, as they contribute to our multifaceted humanity. Let's remember to approach discussions with respect and kindness at heart.

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