25 Nov Regulating the Nervous System — The Real Secret to Peak Performance
I’ve worked with athletes who can run faster, lift heavier, and train harder than anyone — but still crumble under pressure.
Why? Because the body doesn’t care how skilled you are if your nervous system is in survival mode.
The Physiology of Pressure
When an athlete’s stress response kicks in — heart racing, shallow breathing, tunnel vision — the brain goes into fight, flight, or freeze.
In that state, reaction time, focus, and coordination all drop.
The problem isn’t mental weakness. It’s a dysregulated nervous system.
What Regulation Looks Like
Regulation means being able to notice stress and bring yourself back to calm.
It’s the foundation of confidence, composure, and clarity — on and off the field.
In my Calgary practice, I teach athletes and parents simple grounding tools:
- Box breathing: inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4.
- Sensory resets: feel your feet, look around, breathe.
- “Name it to tame it”: say what you’re feeling out loud.
A Story From the Field
A 15-year-old hockey goalie once told me he got so anxious before games that he’d almost throw up.
After learning grounding exercises, he started a new pre-game ritual:
“I stand on the ice, take one slow breath, and remind myself — I’m ready and whatever happens, I can handle it..”
That one sentence changed everything.
Parents: You Regulate the Regulator
Kids mirror the energy of the adults around them.
If you’re pacing, tense, or catastrophizing, they pick it up instantly.
Your calm nervous system is a form of coaching.
Take your own deep breath before they play.
That’s the most powerful support you can offer.
Final Thought
Peak performance doesn’t come from pushing harder.
It comes from staying present under pressure.
At Still Waters Psychology Calgary, we help athletes and families learn real regulation skills — because the best mental game starts in the body.
No Comments