Madeline Hubbard ‘19
Sports Editor
Stress gets to everyone, even winter Olympians in Pyeongchang right now. Stress in athletes can be mental and physical as these athletes push themselves to their limits in training to be the best at their sport. Stress can be difficult to deal with, manifesting itself not only mentally, but also physically.
Chronic stress can lead to physical problems and often comes with headaches, body aches, insomnia, sweating, and frequent illness. The Olympic athletes know this better than anyone and they all have techniques to destress and stay healthy.
Meghan Duggan on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey team said in an interview with Omegawave that “When I had someone with me, if they were driving I would really try to shut down and let myself recover while I was sitting in the passenger seat.” She used that time to let her stress go and reset for the day or match ahead.
Olympic Alpine Skier Mikaela Shiffrin takes naps religiously to stay calm and avoid stress or jitters. Shiffrin sleeps an extra hour every day in naps. According to an interview with Business Insider, “Shiffrin even dozes in the snow while waiting for the start of a race or to hear the results come in.” While not everyone can fit in a nap every time they’re stressed, sleep does wonders to release calming hormones and allow your immune system and brain to recharge.
Figure Skater Mirai Nagasu deals with extreme pressure in training and in competition. To take the edge off, Nagasu watches a lot of Disney movies according to InStyle. She also talks to a sports psychologist to make sure she is mentally prepared for her performances.
Maame Biney, a 17-year-old speed skater for the U.S., she stays confident and collected by listening to music. Especially if she is stressed before a race, she will listen to her pump-up mix. Biney also religiously watches Netflix to relax at the end of the day.
Student athletes also always have a lot going on balancing school-work, extracurriculars, and life in general. Maddie Ryan ’20, on Smith Field Hockey, likes to do a type of meditation yoga called “kripula hatha” and listen to music to unwind. Caroline Labriola ’18 does yoga and meditation every day to destress from her schoolwork and senior thesis. Like many Smith students, Labriola admits to being stressed at the prospect of balancing a social life and friendships with the rigorous academic responsibilities at Smith.
Bayleigh Bogan ’19, also on field hockey, does yoga, watches movies, or grabs coffee and takes a walk to destress. Keerthana Akella ’21 likes to just focus on her breathing using a technique called “Anulom Vilom,” where you use one nostril to breathe deeply and relax.
Hannah Vogel ’21 on the ice hockey team enjoys knitting and listening to music to relax and sometimes uses a guides breathing app called Calm.
These athletes all already partake in regular exercise one of the greatest stress relievers there is. Exercising reduces stress by not only taking your mind off your stressors, but also releasing endorphins straight to your brain. Whatever your stressor, this semester take a tip from the pros and your fellow Smithies and don’t be a mess, destress.
