by taking five-minute brain breaks at regular intervals throughout the day.
Undertaking movement activities wherever you are. Increasing levels of happy chemicals, improving fitness and supporting sports/exercise performance. Useful for people with LTHCs and disabilities.
“Brain breaks are planned learning activity shifts that mobilise different networks of the brain. These shifts allow those regions that are blocked by stress or high-intensity work to revitalise”. (https://www.edutopia.org/article/brain-breaks-restore-student-focus-judy-willis)
Using Physiotherapy exercises as brain breaks
Working on any muscle imbalances by spreading physiotherapy exercises throughout the day. Doing little and often can often be more successful. Reminds your body of what patterning it needs to improve.
Regular repetition will lead to a better acquisition of the element you are focusing on rather than one long session. Taking time to visualise a new skill or a situation you may face can help your sporting/exercise performance and your general health and well-being.
Both options give time to break away from what you are doing — a brain break with two positive outcomes. The same can be transferred into participation, training or competition. Supporting the release of positive hormones that can improve our mental health.
Managing the effects of pressure in an exercise or sporting environment
When you have a LTHC or disability it can be difficult to manage the symptoms and additional load put onto your mind and body during activity. Nine ways athletes perform under pressure by Simon Bulter explores how:
“Pressure affects coordination, focus and judgement, increases your heart rate, speeds up breathing and creates unwanted tension. These factors can negatively affect performance, causing an athlete to panic and rush".https://medium.com/@thesimonboulter/performing-under-pressure-9-ways-great-athletes-make-it-count-when-it-counts-most-b271619f17e3
Fighter Butler encourages us to think of pressure in a different way.
Embrace the moment. Remembering there will be multiple chances to get things right. Let go of winning by reducing its importance. Take time to breathe — focus on the process — be mindful and control what you can.
Reminding yourself that you belong and using positive self-talk. All this can be completed discreetly and effectively throughout the day or during participation in the activity.
Summary
Little and often can have a significant impact on your health and well-being. Having mental breaks supports your ability to complete tasks requiring focus and concentration. Using physical activities to do this promotes the release of happy hormones. Joining together the outcomes of improving health and fitness levels, working on muscle imbalances, resilience and emotional fitness all in one hit!
*Please remember that these blogs are very real to us. We are on the same journey. It’s tough, slow and frustrating. Most of the Scenarios we face ourselves. Sometimes we find what we print useful. Other times we don’t. It’s included because everyone's journey is different. We have passionate perseverance to help others. To dispose of all content would be a waste and a disservice to our readers.