Stress and Arousal 

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
There are 2 types of stress:-
- Eustress
- Distress
Eustress is the good stress which keeps a person motivated so they can continue working.
Distress is the bad stress which drops a person's motivation level really low.
Stress can caused by personal problems, occupational problems, internal, external and sports environment.
Internal problems include having lack of sleep, feeling sick, self-esteem and etc...
External problems include social interactions with negative people or major life events.
Occupational problems include stress linked with work, working till late or having too much work then normal.
Personal problems include finance, lifestyle other personal problems.
Sports environment include a person competing in a event for the first time such as Olympics or playing cricket internationally.

There are many symptoms when a person is in stress such as cognitive, somatic and behavioural.
Cognitive symptoms are related to how a person thinks when they are in stress. The brain works differently under stress. As the challenge increases the brain is able to take in more information and be hyperactive which allows the brain to be more alert at the same time. Some symptoms are:

• Thought distortion
• Memory problems
• Preoccupation
• Racing thoughts
• Difficulty making decisions 

Somatic stress is what happens to a person when they are in stress (physical symptoms). Some symptoms include:

• Sleep disturbance
• Muscle tension, aches and pain
• Headaches/ Migraines 
• Fatigue
• Loss of sex drive
• High blood pressure
• Weight loss or gain 
• Hormonal disturbances
• Compromised immune system
• Asthma
• Skin problems - Acne, eczema etc... 

Behavioural stress is how a person behaves or feels when they are in stress. Some symptoms are: 

• Exhaustion
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Sleeping difficulties
• Lack of punctuality
• Risk taking behaviours
• Accidents

Stress has huge impact on a athletes performance because under stress everyone acts differently mentally and physically. When a athlete is under pressure they are trying to do put in their 100% effort but because they are stressed they are not able to do so or their motivation level are decreased and they think that they may not be able to achieve their goals. While playing a sport a person may be thinking about the game but they might have negative thoughts like what if they lose the game because the player or what if their performance is really bad. All these thoughts and feelings and the way an athlete reacts and have influence their overall performance. Having sweaty hands in cricket can lead to many negative things such as if a person is bowler and they have sweaty hands they will not be able to bowl properly because it is likely to slip of early and be no ball. If a athlete is having a lot of stress and this may cause them to have muscle aches or muscle tension which will drop their performance down whilst they are playing cricket. As a fielder they need to be really active and running after the ball when it is coming closer to them, with muscle pain they won't be able to play properly and there are chances of someone playing instead of them. 

Anxiety

Anxiety is a when a person has a strong desire or concern to do something or for something to happen.

Trait anxiety

Trait anxiety refers to a general level of stress that is characteristic of an individual. Trait anxiety differs according to how individuals have adapt themselves to respond to and manage the stress. What may cause anxiety and stress in one person may not initiate any emotion in another. People with high levels of trait anxiety are often quite easily stressed and anxious and this is by birth and it is constant.

State anxiety 

State anxiety is athlete's emotional state at any time, this differs from situation to situation. Athletes can learn different techniques to manage anxiety such as hypnotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, positive thinking and relaxation.
The symptoms of anxiety are put inti 2 categories:

- Coginitive state anxiety

- Somatic state anxiety

Cognitive state anxiety refers to how the brain reacts to anxiety. This decreases the concentration level; performer makes mistakes as their performance level decreases. For example, a bowler maybe bowling first time in the world cup, they lose concentration seeing thr crowd and they think that they have to perform really well to be able to get fame. They may end up doing no balls or wide balls as their concentration level is decreasing.

Somatic state anxiety refers to how the body reacts to anxiety. The heart rate and breathing rate increases which the athlete may notice as it is a psychological change. The athlet will start to sweat more which will indicate that they are nervous and there will be tension in the muscles which allows the athlete to feel that they are not ready or not relaxed.

Effects on performance: 

Anxiety and arousal both can be at their peak and stay constant for a while, after the optimum level this effect becomes negative. The Catastrophe theory suggests that an increase in cognitive state anxiety will have beneficial effect on performance. If my athlete is going through the symptoms of cognitive state anxiety then they are likely to not concentrate during the match. If the bowler is bowling wide and AB De Villiers is not focusing in the game then the ball is likely to roll for a four, giving the other tesm extra runs. On the other hand, if my athlete is having the symptoms of somatic state anxiety such as increase in heart rate and breathing rate they are likely to know as he's the captain and wouldn't want to let his team down by showing that he's nervous.

Negative effects on performer: 

Anxiety has a negative impact on a athlete's performance due to reduced concentration level, decision making and nagtive self-perception of own ability which may lead to negative self talks or even increased negative self talks. Anxiety can lead to a person having disrupted sleeping patterns which could cause fatigue. As performance level decreases the anxiety level will increase and as the anxiety level keeps increasing there will be decrease in the athlete's performance. 

Arousal 

Arousal is the level of excitement and readiness an athlete has to perform. 

Drive theory

Drive theory was divised by Hull in 1943, this theory suggests that high levels of arousal such as in competition would intensify the dominant response; positive impact on athlete's performance and increasing the quality of performance. 

Performance = arousal x skill

As arousal increases so does the performance, the more the skill is learnt the higher the level of arousal . This will result in a better performance. 



Inverted U theory

Inverted U theiry was developed in 1908 by Yerkes and Dodson. This theory suggests how arousal performances will be below par. This theiry differs from the drive theory, it states that optimal arousal levels will have impact on performance and the performance level will be at their highest point. Arousal level being too low or too high can lower the performance level. As arousal increases so does the level of performance. Arousal will increase to optimal point. At optimal point of arousal the athlete's performance will be at it's highest, after this point performance level will gradually decrease.

Catastrophe theory

Catastrophe theory suggtes that performance is affected by arousal in a smiliar way to Inverted U theory when individual have low cognitive anxiety. When athletes are experiencing higher level of cognitive anxiety this allows the arousal levels increase uo to athlete's threshold. The player experiences dramatic drop in their performance levels. This theory suggests you will perform at a higher level if the athlete has certain level of cognitive state anxiety because this will increase the athlete's attention and concentration level. 



Individual zones of optimal functioning

States that low levels of arousal will make the performance level decresse where as if arousal is at optimal level then the performance will be at its highest. As arousal level increases, performance levl decreases.