Sports and the Mind

It's More Than Just Game

Thinking is a Workout

In a recent TED talk Suzana Herculano-Houzel, a Brazilian neuroscientist, discussed the development of human brains and how they differ from the brains of other species. As part of her explanation, she mentions that the human brain uses approximately one-fourth of the total energy humans consume. That is, for a 2,000-calorie diet, 500 of those calories are used for simple brain up-keep and thinking. In addition, after several hours of strenuous thinking, studies show that there is an obvious difference between the amount of glucose that an active versus non-active brain consumes. One could say that the act of thinking is a workout in itself!

This idea relates to the world of sports through the psychological idea of “monkey mind.” In psychology, “monkey mind” refers to a mind that is “unsettled; restless…confused…uncontrollable.”  When an athlete over-thinks his or her swing or worries about making a bad shot in the middle of a game, his or her thoughts are no longer in control. He or she experiences a “monkey mind”. As Herculano-Houzel and other scientists tell us, a “monkey mind” consumes more energy than a calm, in-the-moment mind.

Brain Energy 5In the end, the extra energy needed to fuel an over-active mind is wasted because in almost all cases over-thinking only hurts an athlete’s performance. A “monkey mind” literally robs the body of fuel- fuel that it could be using to perform. Fortunately, “monkey mind” is completely preventable. With daily practice in mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, body scans, and yoga, an athlete can train his or her mind to be more focused and calm during competition, consume less energy, and free this energy for the body to use. Mindfulness techniques not only helps an athlete to refocus, but also optimizes his or her energy usage on a scientific level.

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About Colleen Hathaway, DC

Dr. Colleen Hathaway is a licensed chiropractor in the state of Wisconsin. Dr. Colleen is a native of Madison, WI and did her undergraduate work at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota obtaining a B.S. in Corporate Fitness Science and Athletic Training. She played basketball for St. Thomas for four years and was the starting point guard on their 1991 NCAA Championship team.
Dr. Colleen completed her chiropractic degree at the Northwestern College of Chiropractic from 1993-1997. She has been in private practice for over 20 years and adores working with people of all walks of life. Her philosophy is grounded in the principles of wellness, balance, support and human performance. She utilizes gentle chiropractic and cranio-sacral techniques, including light touch energy work. Essentially, she works with the body’s innate wisdom by helping to remove blockages of the nerve system. Patient education and home exercise routines are an important part of most care plans. Dr. Colleen also refers and coordinate care with multiple practitioners (massage, medical doctors, etc.) in an effort to accommodate individual needs.
Dr. Colleen is active in numerous chiropractic ventures and her most notable experience was a humanitarian mission trip to Fortelaza, Brazil where she was able to provide chiropractic adjustments to hundreds of people. She is a member of SOTO, a Reiki Master and trained Cranio-sacral therapist through the Upledger Institute.
On a personal note, Dr. Colleen enjoys participating in the American Birkebeiner cross country ski race, rollerblading, hiking, yoga, golfing and all things nature. She was inducted into the Edgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.

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