Massage your earlobes and repeat after me:
“It’s only a Super Bowl. It’s only a Super Bowl. It’s only a Super Bowl.”
When the Eagles play the Chiefs on Sunday, psychologists predict more than a few cases of “fanxiety.” It’s not a medical term in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (We checked.)
Still, you probably know someone who has to leave the room whenever a game gets too intense. That’s because the same body systems regulate both adrenaline and stress.
And, believe it or not, beer and cheesesteaks don’t help.
Eagles fan?:What Eagles fans need to know before the 2023 Super Bowl kicks off
What did he do?:Andy Reid once gave Nick Sirianni his worst moment; how it led Eagles coach to Super Bowl
How to cope with Super Bowl stress?
The path to game-day inner peace may start with your earlobes.
For centuries, the Chinese technique of earlobe massage has been used to calm the heart and mind. Researchers at Duke University were among the first in the West World to study the practice. A vagus nerve in the earlobe connects to the heart and slows it down.
When it comes to lowering stress, the nose also knows.
Dr. Shaun Nanavati graduated from Columbia before serving as a child neuropsychologist and now leads the Mindwell Labs healthcare technology company. He believes in a technique of alternate nostril breathing.
Inhaling through one nostril and exhaling from the other lowers the heart rate and “syncs the two hemispheres of the brain.”
Other promoted techniques include lying on the floor with your legs elevated against the wall and the yoga pose downward dog, which, Nanavati said, you can also perform while hiding behind your future during the big game.
“Fanxiety can strike at any point”, said Nanavati,” but will tend to spike toward the end of close games.”
What are the symptoms of Super Bowl stress?
Ducking behind your chaise lounge during the game suggests you might have a problem, Nanavati said.
More common and less noticeable symptoms of “fanxiety” can include a spiking heart rate, sweaty palms, rapid breathing and the sudden impulse to cover your eyes during a Hail Mary pass or “Philly Special.”
If experiencing post-game day, stress-induced fatigue, doctors also recommend added sleep, cutting back on caffeine, and stocking up on these supplements: Ashwagandha, coenzyme Q10, licorice root, magnesium, Rhodiola and the vitamins B and C.
Of course, none of these steps would be necessary if Philadelphia didn’t have so many great teams.
