Hey Baller,

this is Chris from Play Mentally Stronger!

Holistic connection - the big 4

Did you know that there is a holistic connection between your mentality, your breath, your sleep and your nutrition. and did you know, that this connection is of crucial importance for you as a football player, as it can determine your success or defeat, your performance or injury.

Neglecting these 4 elements, which especially in football is partially still the case, can have serious consequences not only for a single match, furthermore your career as a player and your overall health. So by considering those 4, you'll learn how the interconnection affects your performance.

Who I am!

For all of you who might don´t know me, my name is Chris and I´m the founder of Play Mentally Stronger. I´m somehow professionally connected to football since more than 15 years. During my time at PUMA, working as a Global Sr. Partnership Manager at Borussia Dortmund, I kept asking myself what is still missing within the world of football, to further assist players and help them perform better on pitch. However, I only discovered the answer, when my wife got sick. I resigned from PUMA, joined the biggest players agency in Germany, and unexpectedly found myself unemployed after 7 months, which led me to discover my passion in the field of personal development. Through constant engagement with the mental aspects and my love for football, as a qualified sports scientist and with all my experience, the interconnection of those 4 became clear to me.

The Diamond

So, why are those 4 areas or how I call them - "the Diamond", so important to any player out there:

1. Mentality: The mental attitude of a professional football player is pivotal in handling pressure and stress, building or maintaining self-confidence, and maximizing their performance on and off pitch. A positive mentality boosts motivation and helps you overcome challenging times.
2. Breathing: Proper breathing optimizes not only your oxygen intake, furthermore it improves your endurance, makes you calm and regenerates you faster. Controlled breathing reduces stress and enhances mental clarity and gives you more focus and concentration.
3. Sleep: High-quality sleep promotes recovery and rejuvenation after intense trainings and matches. During sleep, the body produces essential hormones, repairs muscles, and strengthens the immune system.
4. Nutrition: A balanced diet forms the foundation for energy supply, muscle development, and regeneration. It provides essential nutrients for optimal physical performance.

Each and every segment is super important, but what is important is the connectivity between those four, because all of play together. So it isn´t my goal to give you e.g. diet recipe’s incl. the right portions, or a ready to use plan, how to sleep better. There isn´t even a switch in your head, how to change your thoughts from one second to the other. This program is based on the interconnection between the topics and how one influences the other one. So it´s personal development. It´s all about your self-optimisation.

The downside of neglecting the Diamond!

So you might ask, what´s the danger of neglecting these interconnections?

So 1^st of all you should understand that you´re human, such as I am. By ignoring these interconnections, you should be always be aware of risking long-term consequences, no matter if you're a footballer, doing sports every day or not. Every action, every decision we take has a result, or let's say a consequence. Weak mental states can lead to performance decline and may result in stress, anxiety, and depression. Shallow or irregular breathing can compromise oxygen supply and decrease your performance, what means a risk of injuries. Sleep deprivation reduces recovery and can lead to fatigue and poor concentration. An unhealthy diet diminishes the necessary energy supply, influences your mood, and slows down your recovery process, whilst increasing the likelihood of an injury.

So whats the ideal scenario?

In my opinion, professional football players need to adopt to a more holistic approach regarding their health and performance off pitch, to perform better on pitch.

It is of utmost importance for professional football players to understand the connection between mentality, breathing, sleep, and nutrition and incorporate them into their daily activities. Integrating these four “must do” elements enhances the likelihood of a better performance, enhances your clarity and focus and facilitates better recovery to foster a successful long-term career in professional football. Paying attention to these connections is not only crucial for athletic success but also for the overall well-being and health of each player. This approach can determine success or failure, performance or injury on the field. When professional football players actively consider these four interconnected aspects outside the pitch, they gain a comprehensive understanding of how to optimize their physical and mental performance. They develop the habit of being pro-active.

The interconnection within the Diamond

So there is an impact of breathing on your mentality, sleep, and your nutrition: Conscious, deep, and controlled breathing can have a positive effect on mental well-being. Specific breathing techniques like abdominal breathing can reduce stress and anxiety, lead to improved mental clarity and concentration. Sufficient oxygen supply to the brain also promotes a positive attitude and mental resilience. Breathing plays a crucial role in falling asleep and the quality of sleep. Shallow or irregular breathing over the course of the day can lead to bad sleep and bad recovery. Conversely, deep and relaxed breathing can enhance sleep quality and promote a more restful night. But breathing is closely linked to your digestion as well. Poor breathing caused by stress or shallow breathing can impair the digestive system and lead to digestive issues. An inefficient digestive process, in turn, can hinder nutrient absorption from the food.

In turn, a stressed or anxious mental state can lead to shallow and irregular breathing as the body goes into "fight or flight" mode. This results in reduced oxygen supply, restricting both the physical and mental performance. At the same time, negative emotions such as fear and worry can lead to sleep disturbances. Insomnia or restless sleep are common consequences of a poor mental state, affecting the body's ability to fully regenerate and recover during sleep. Negative emotions can also influence eating behavior. Some players tend to overeat during stress or anger, while others lose their hunger entirely, which in consequence lead to the circumstance that you won´t have the energy you need on pitch, based on the fuel you need for your activity you´ll lack focus and concentration, which in turn leads potentially to the likelihood to get injured.

So a poor diet, rich in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, can lead to mood swings and lack of energy. But, and that’s for sure, it will cause bad breathing habits, which is based on acidity due to the processed food. Hence your body isn´t in balance anymore. If essential nutrients are missing, this can impair cognitive function and reduce mental resilience. On top, an unhealthy diet can promote inflammation your body, which reduces your performance. Chronic inflammation can affect the respiratory system and lead to breathing difficulties. A poor diet, especially close to bedtime, is going to most likly disrupt sleep. Consuming heavy or caffeinated foods and drinks can cause stomach discomfort and make it difficult to fall asleep. Pretty much the same as too much inactivity during the day, as well as too much smartphone consume.

So insufficient or bad quality sleep has an impact on your breathing, your nutrition, and your mentality. Sleep deprivation can result in exhaustion, negatively impacting your breathing and results into fatigue. Fatigue can lead to shallower breathing, affecting oxygen supply to the body and a reduction in performance, which will automatically lead to an enhanced negative way of thinking resp. reflecting. But sleep deprivation can take influence on your appetite and hunger as well. Players who don't get enough sleep often tend to consume more calories, which is mainly driven by unhealthy food choices, rich in useless calories. Which again, is one of the reasons to not get the quality sleep you need. This in turn, can negatively affect your mood and lead to irritability, anxiety, and possibly depression. A poor mental state, impairs the ability to cope with stress and maintain a positive mental attitude. So all in all a wishes circle.

In summary, understanding the interplay between breathing, mentality, sleep, and nutrition is essential to every football player, whenever performance optimization and an overall well-being over the longterm is the target. By recognizing and considering these connections, you can effectively manage stress, enhance your recovery, and maintain a positive mindset, ultimately supporting your sustainable success on pitch.

So, Play Mentally Stronger, I'm ready to serve you, whenever you're. 

See you next time,

Chris

Disclaimer: all of my content is based on acquired knowledge, personal experiences, and assessments. There is no guarantee of success or achievement. Additionally, I am neither a doctor, therapist, nor a magician, so if you have any health-related concerns, I kindly advise you to consult a medical professional.