What’s Actually Happening in Your Body During Performance Anxiety?
- Alyssa Zajdel, PhD
- Sep 8
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever felt your heart race, your palms sweat, and your muscles tense before competing, you might have wondered: Why does my body do this, and how do I make it stop?
For years, I thought something was wrong with me for getting so anxious before I skated. My muscles would lock up, my heart would pound, and my mouth would dry out. I’d sweat through my warm-up clothes, feel tired before I even started, and wonder why I couldn’t just “calm down” like other people seemed to.
For a long time, I believed those symptoms meant I wasn’t ready or that I was too weak to perform well under pressure. I felt isolated, convinced I was the only one with this experience. That belief made the anxiety harder—and it made me doubt myself entirely.
What changed everything? Learning, through sport psychology, that those sensations weren’t a sign of failure. They were my body’s way of preparing me to perform. That shift didn’t erase the sensations, but it did give me a new relationship with them. I started breathing more intentionally, grounding myself, and (most importantly!) stopped demonizing what my body was doing.
And that’s what I want to help you do today.
The Brain–Body Connection
Here’s what’s really happening when anxiety shows up before a performance: your sympathetic nervous system kicks in. This is part of your autonomic nervous system, which runs behind the scenes, regulating breathing, heart rate, and digestion.
When your brain detects a threat or a big challenge, it engages the fight-or-flight response. Think of it like your body’s built-in alarm system, priming you to either take on the challenge or get out of the way.
The surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones creates physical changes, such as:
Increased heart rate → pumps blood faster to muscles so you can move quickly
Faster breathing → gets more oxygen to your brain and body
Tensed muscles → prepares you for explosive movement
Sweating → cools your body so you can keep going without overheating
Heightened senses → helps you react faster to whatever’s in front of you
From an evolutionary standpoint, these changes are survival tools. Your body doesn’t know the difference between facing a tiger and facing a packed arena—it just wants you ready.
Why These Sensations Feel Uncomfortable
These sensations can feel too big and distracting in sports (or public speaking, or any high-pressure performance).
That’s because your body’s alarm system is good at preparing you to move, but not as good about reminding you, “Hey, you’ve trained for this, you’re safe, and this is just a challenge you care about.”
Without that reminder, the sensations can feel like warning signs that something is wrong, even when they’re just signs that you’re getting ready.
How to Work With Your Nervous System
You can’t (and it often isn’t helpful!) get rid of your body’s preparation system. But you can train it so it works for you instead of against you.
Here are two athlete-friendly ways to start:
Controlled Breathing
Try a box breathing pattern: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds before repeating the pattern.
Breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and recover” mode) and helps balance your body’s arousal level.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Tense a muscle group for 5 seconds, then release for 10 seconds.
Move through each area of your body (e.g., hands, arms, shoulders, legs).
This strategy teaches your body the difference between ready and rigid.
Reframing the Sensations
Another strategy you can use is to reframe the sensations by reminding yourself that your body is helping you rather than hurting you. Instead of thinking:
My heart is pounding—this means I’m not ready.
Try:
My heart is pounding—my body is getting me ready to perform.
This mindset shift takes practice, but you’ll recognize these sensations over time as part of your competitive superpower.
Now, when I feel the overwhelming physical sensations of anxiety before a big skating event, I remind myself that my body is preparing me to sustain the energy needed to perform at my best. And if the physical sensations come too early (before I need them!), I engage in deep breathing to remind my body that it is still time to relax.
Final Takeaway
The uncomfortable physical sensations of performance anxiety aren’t your enemy; they are actually your body’s way of saying, I’ve got you.
The next time you feel your muscles tighten or your breath quicken before competition, remember: this isn’t weakness. It’s preparation.
Want support in navigating performance anxiety, building mental skills, or changing your relationship with your body’s signals? Our sport psychology team can help you feel more prepared — and less alone — when the pressure’s on.
Legal Disclaimer:
This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for mental health treatment, psychological services, or medical advice. Reading this post does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you are seeking support for your mental health or well-being, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional in your area.
