Recent studies have explained the reasons why people feel “breathless” under pressure, leading to poor work performance.
According to LiveScience on September 26, Dr. Jeri Tikarem, a clinical psychologist at the online mental health service Kooth, stated that feeling breathless when under pressure or stress may be related to the “fight or flight” response, where the body protects itself from situations that the brain perceives as threatening.
Dr. Tikarem explained that this mechanism has ensured our survival to this day. However, in some cases, the brain confuses real danger with other situations, such as stress when speaking in front of a crowd, resulting in similar physiological responses.
Stress affects work performance.
The fight or flight response drives the body to produce stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure.
A 2023 study published in the journal Psychological Science indicated that these cardiovascular factors could predict poor performance in sports. Researchers measured the heart rates of 122 athletes during an archery competition at the Olympics and found that higher heart rates were linked to worse performance.
Dr. Tikarem explained that mental stress can lead to feelings of breathlessness because the brain focuses on the threat rather than the tasks at hand.
Another study found that the presence of others could also be a key factor contributing to breathlessness under pressure. Additionally, in a study involving monkeys, researchers discovered that the prospect of a large reward could affect their performance.
The anticipation of a significant reward influences the brain’s preparation process for the body to perform a related task. According to the study, monkeys performed best when the reward was moderate to large—large enough to keep them cautious but small enough not to induce pressure. Conversely, when a massive reward was dangled, the monkeys became stiff and performed poorly.
Psychotherapist Sam Jahara, who works at Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy in the UK, noted that some people are more likely to feel breathless when stressed or pressured than others. According to Mr. Jahara, this relates to certain factors, such as an event or a past failure that leads to a loss of confidence.
Fortunately, humans can practice performing well under pressure or stress, according to sports psychology instructor Chris Hartley from the University of Stirling in Scotland.
Mr. Hartley also mentioned that when feeling overwhelmed, people tend to focus on irrelevant things rather than the task at hand.
“In these situations, we can establish a protocol of simple steps that we can follow at any time to help us refocus on the task we are doing,” Mr. Hartley added.
