How to Save Your Sanity During March Madness and Beyond

Dont let the stress of the game (or life) compromise your health

When March Madness hits, it's not only coaches and players who feel the stress. As fans, our intensity grows with each game and hit to our brackets, and pretty soon, we feel the excitement as if we are on the court.

That's both good and bad. On the one hand, performance and competition are powerful drivers of success for us all, and stress can engage us whether we're spectators or players. In moderation, stress can be a great motivator without it, we'd never perform at our peaks.

But on the other hand, constant, mental stress can hit our bodies hard, especially when we can't get ourselves away from it. The obvious physical effects are usually short-lived, ranging from loss of appetite to loss of sleep. But over time, stress and the habits we use to cope can affect how we make choices, weaken the immune system and even make us more susceptible to heart disease and stroke. I often tell people it's like pouring hot coffee into a cup: Eventually, it's going to overflow if you don't sip it down.

Consider Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, for example. He recently made the tough choice to step away from the game at age 55 in part because his health was at stake: He had recently been diagnosed with complex migraines, and he also suffered a terrifying mini-stroke when he was coach of the Houston Texans.

Before letting stress of any sort get that far, you first need to be aware and honest about where your stress is coming from. Maybe it's from society, which puts a lot of emphasis on success. Maybe it's from you, if success in a certain field is your identity. Whatever it is, once you've identified the source of your stress, it's important to stay even-keeled by learning to lean in to pressure, embrace it and not allow it to overwhelm you.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Here's how I a former Ohio State football player who's now a sport psychologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center advise athletes to manage their stress:

1. Own and embrace the pressure.

In a high-performance situation, pressure is just part of the game. It's important to accept and embrace it pretending it isn't there does not make it go away.

2. Score success with the 80/20 rule.

Identify the 20 percent of your life's game plan that will deliver 80 percent of your results. Deconstruct what you're doing and choose to focus on those things that give you satisfaction and success. Let go of things that mostly take up time. For example, challenge the belief that group boot camp classes are the only way to be fit and embrace just 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training when you're time-pressed instead. If you want to eat healthier, simply giving up soda can have large implications for weight loss. The point is: Small actions can have a large impact.

3. Understand that you work better as part of a team.

When stress hits, look to your spouse, family or friends for support. Set aside 30 minutes during which you can engage and be mindful in the moment with those people. Then, in times of less stress, work to grow those relationships.

4. Sound the whistle when enough is enough.

When pressure starts to build up in multiple areas of life, it's important to recognize those simultaneous stressors to be able to manage and take care of them. Eliminating one or more of them can be hard, of course, because it can feel like defeat. But keep in mind that the best performances come from people who know how to decide when enough is enough. They find the right balance to achieve their peak level for their highest priorities. To identify your "enough," measure the pros and cons and let yourself consider the what-ifs. Don't hesitate to reach out to your family or friends, a counselor or a physician, or a mentor who has been there before.

The secret to managing stress is acknowledging that challenges are a part of life that help us grow, choosing where to put the most effort, knowing where to turn when the going gets tough and knowing when to walk away. The payoff is great: When you have less overall stress, you can better manage the surges and pitfalls of March Madness or your own life's tournaments. It's then when you finally get control and win the game of life.

Note: This blog first appeared on usnews.com