Performing under Pressure; on the Biology, Psychology and Sociology of stress in high-performance
professions
VII – PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS

How do you utilise the stress response to facilitate optimal performance?
uPrepare the system for stress (See lecture 6)
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uManaging the acute stress response
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uOptimising the acute stress response
uIncrease dopamine
uIncrease feelings of control
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Almost all of the most effective mechanisms to reduce or control the acute stress response involve
feedback loops
uIt is hard to control
uThoughts
uEmotions
uPhysiological states
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uBehaviour is much easier and that will alter all the above
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uStress often requires an expression to movement (be that physiological or psychological –
behaviour is the key!)

Managing the acute stress response



Feedback loops as a means to manipulate the stress system
uNeurotropic substances
uBenzodiazepams
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uBehavioural manipulations
uBreath work
uVisual system control
uVisualisation
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Breath work
uDouble sigh
uOff load much more carbon dioxide
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uRespiratory sinus arrhythmia
uInhales: diaphragm moves down, more space for the heart, brain sends a signal to speed up to keep
blood pressure steady.
uBasis for Heart Rave Variability (HRV)
Feldman JL. Neurobiology of breathing control. Where to look and what to look for.. Advances in
experimental medicine and biology, 1995.

Visual control: Can you use the eyes to control stress?
uEyes – 2 functions
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uDetecting shapes, colours, etc. (vision)
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uCommunicate to the brain – active or inactive (Cues about time of day, stressors, etc.) (YES!
Another feedback loop!!)
uRelaxed (panoramic vision)
uStressed (focussed vision)
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Left-brain / right brain cross talk
uOver activity in the left side of the brain may lead to overthinking
u
uActivity with the left hand, which cross talks to the right hemisphere, leads to an overall
downregulation of brain activity
Mesagno, C., Beckmann, J., Wergin, V. V., & Gröpel, P. (2019). Primed to perform: Comparing
different pre-performance routine interventions to improve accuracy in closed, self-paced motor
tasks. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 43(January), 73–81.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.01.001
Mesagno, C., & Beckmann, J. (2017). Choking under pressure: theoretical models and interventions.
Current Opinion in Psychology, 16(June), 170–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.05.015

Optimising the acute stress response



Forward movement: The nucleus reuniens
uA small nucleus in the thalamus
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uSecretes dopamine in response to forward movement
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uBehaviour effects
uIn rats it increases willingness to fight harder
uIn people…
Zimmerman, E. C., & Grace, A. A. (2016). The nucleus reuniens of the midline thalamus gates
prefrontal-hippocampal modulation of ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron activity. Journal of
Neuroscience, 36(34), 8977–8984. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1402-16.2016

Nutrition
uCertain foods stimulate the endorphin and dopamine systems.
uSugar
uAlcohol
uCacao
uEtc.
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uCareful! Many have a secondary detrimental effect.
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Internal reward
uExternal rewards seem to be transient and unreliable. There is significantly greater value in
internal rewards
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uSlice time to fit your motivational needs
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uConnect reward to accomplishment not something you get upon finishing
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uDon’t engage in too many behaviours that release dopamine for little effort

Altruism: just a strange observation
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uI have no data to support this, but there seems to be a strong link between resilience and
altruism. Individuals who take up the responsibility to pull others through appear better at
handling extreme stress
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uSpecial forces selection procedures