Many people have a rather inactive workday, which includes only mental work and, at best, walks to the kitchen or the store. However, by evening, their strength is running out, and training is difficult. The fact is that mental stress can also affect athletic performance, just like physical stress.
Which athletic performance suffers from mental stress?
Several experiments have confirmed that mental stress can reduce performance in various sports.
In two studies, for example, after spending a long time solving problems that required concentration, people ran 3- and 5-kilometer distances 2–5% slower. In another, soccer players performed 16% worse at a task involving short, fast 20-meter runs and were less accurate at kicking the ball.
And a systematic review of 73 studies found that even 30 minutes of mental effort negatively impacted aerobic performance—the ability to work at low intensity for a long time.
Mental fatigue reduces performance in endurance sports, reduces the time to fatigue, and makes the workload feel harder.
Some studies measured participants’ heart rates, blood pressure, and muscle contractions, but found no difference between those who exercised after mental exertion and those who were full of energy. In other words, it wasn’t physical changes that were causing the decline in athletic performance.
Scientists have suggested that the level of perceived effort—how hard a given load feels—is to blame. In one experiment , participants were asked to pedal an exercise bike at a low intensity, then as hard as they could. No specific instructions were given on how hard they could pedal—they were asked to rely on how they felt.
As a result, people who received a preliminary cognitive load worked slower than other participants, by 16 and 18% in the “easy” and “hard” modes, respectively.
In other words, after a hard day at work, running, cycling, or group cardio will be more difficult than in the morning or at lunchtime, when the brain is not yet tired.
What indicators are not affected by mental fatigue?
Unlike cardio , strength and power training performance does not appear to be affected by mental fatigue.
For example, one experiment tested how cognitive load would affect performance in barbell curls and found no difference in performance. People who performed the exercise after 10 minutes of cognitive load did the same number of reps as those who did not undergo mental fatigue beforehand.
A systematic review of 11 studies also found no effect on strength performance. The researchers concluded that the shorter the exercise and the more effort required to complete it, the less of an effect from mental fatigue.
After work, you can easily work with a barbell or on machines, using heavy or medium weights and a low number of repetitions.
Just be careful with one-sided exercises like the single-leg squat. A review of seven studies found that mental stress worsens balance in both older and younger people.
How to Reduce the Negative Effects of Mental Fatigue
There are several ways to avoid a decline in athletic performance.
Move the lesson to the morning
This is the most obvious way to exercise with a fresh mind. If you have never tried to exercise in the morning , keep in mind that at first the indicators may decrease a little, but regular exercise will lead to adaptation and remove restrictions.
Take a nap before class
Scientists have suggested that the decrease in indicators can be linked to the level of adenosine. This is a neurotransmitter – a substance that is involved in the transmission of impulses between neurons and has an inhibitory effect.
Prolonged wakefulness and high cognitive load increase its levels, induce drowsiness and reduce performance in endurance tasks.
Sleep, on the other hand, lowers adenosine levels. So if you have the opportunity to take a 15-20 minute nap before exercise, do it.
Reduce stress levels
A systemic analysis noted that norepinephrine may be responsible for the decrease in endurance.
This neurotransmitter is produced in large quantities during stress, and therefore mental stress combined with psychological tension can further reduce training performance and the desire to do anything in general.
To cope with stress, try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation . A short 10-15 minute session of concentration will relieve tension, which can have a positive effect on your stamina.
