Simone Biles shocked the world by withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics, and now the gymnast is opening up about her mental health journey in a new Netflix documentary series.
“I knew it was going to be a long journey, but for me it’s not over yet,” Biles said in a trailer for the series, which premieres July 17, just a week before she makes her Olympic return at the 2024 Paris Games.
“Returning to Olympic level is really at the intersection of the idea of mental health and mental fitness,” said Dylan Panuska, clinical psychologist at Endeavor Health.
Panuska said mental health is an important factor for Olympians.
“Mental health is the ability to utilize and regulate coping skills when faced with stressful situations,” Panuska says.
While top athletes train both physically and mentally, Panuska shared four ways we can all boost our mental health, whether we’re playing sports for fun or honing our performance at work.
“The idea of mental health and being focused like an Olympian has a lot to do with being in the right frame of mind,” Panuska said.
Mindfulness — Panuska said mindfulness is the foundation. “There’s a lot of truth in the idea that we can’t control what goes through our minds, but we can control what goes through our minds and we can develop the ability to manage it,” Panuska said.
Visualization and Mental Imagery “Visualizing it shares in many ways the same neurophysiological processes as actually doing it, so for your brain it’s as if you’ve already done it, and it’s much smoother and cleaner when you’re in the moment. I think this is one of the most underutilized strategies that the general public can use,” Panuska said.
Regulates the nervous system – How? By taking deep breaths, also known as extended breathing. “Extending your exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to reduce stress states. So, by simply breathing a little longer than you breathe in, you can restore peak performance,” says Panuska.
Repetition with cue words – You’ve probably heard the phrase “practice makes perfect.” Panuska says mixing in a prompt as you practice can help reset your brain. “A prompt acts like a reset button, bringing you back to your values and what’s important going forward.” He recommends choosing a phrase based on your values. “I’ve had people use the phrase, ‘What’s your purpose?’ and for them, it’s helped them break through a negative mindset,” Panuska says.
While most of us aren’t aiming to win a gold medal like Simone Biles, experts say these tips can help you get mentally healthy to reach your goals.