March Madness isn't only about the madness on the courts as basketball teams vie for the NCAA title. It's also about the madness that fans feel watching their teams score points and advance to the tournament's next round. What body language can you use when you're stressed watching the games to de-stress?
Here are a few common body language signs that suggest that you're stressed:
- When you see a play that you don't like, it's common to cover your face or eyes.
- You might squint your eyes to block out the play. Or, might bend your head forward and look down.
- You might interlace your fingers behind your neck and pull it forward. If you wear a ball cap, you can play with the brim.
- You might notice that you hold your breath during critical plays or when the clock runs down. Your shoulders might creep up towards your ears.
- When you're feeling anxious, you might play with your fingers, fist your hands, or fidget.
If your face is tight, then stretch your facial muscles. This relieves the compacted muscles. You can yawn wide, which loosens your jaws and relaxes tense cheeks.
Here are a few tips for neck, shoulder, and hand tension:
- You can stretch your neck by tilting it to one side and pulling down on it gently with your hand. Roll your shoulders back to ease stress.
- For hand stress, open your hands wide and then close them. Make sure that there's a lot of space in between your fingers. Shake your hands and rotate your wrists.
- You can also push back on your fingers on each hand to help relax the tension. The main thing to remember is to stretch out the tightness you're feeling. These are easy to do when you're watching the game.
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