Poker is a psychological game which requires mindfulness, confidence, and focus. Regardless of whether you are playing online or offline poker, challenging situations like bad behavior of fellow players or downswings can make you feel an enormous array of least pleasant emotions i.e. anger, frustration, or sadness which you cannot ignore. If a player is stressed, he can feel grumpy and irritated and find himself unable to concentrate in the game. These feelings can cause depression and negatively affect a poker player’s performance on the game table.
If your brain feels tired after an intense poker playing session, you need to take a break to mentally prepare yourself for the next session. Here are some simple techniques which can help you take the strain off your mind and improve your mood:
Play Your Favorite Song
If you are exhausted, immerse yourself in the world of music for some time. Create a playlist of your favorite songs and play it whenever you feel down. Music is one of the most potent stress relievers which improves calmness, eases anxiety, and increases concentration.
Make notes
If you cannot help but dwell on how you failed to call a bluff or how a calculation mistake made you lose your precious chips, write your thoughts down on a piece of paper. It can be about the last hand you played, the bad beats, the opponents you played with, or the things that distracted you during the game. Writing notes helps you keeping track of things as well as make you aware of the thoughts which are disturbing you. You can review these stressful situations to find out the best way to deal with these issues in the future.
Talk to someone
Talking to someone will definitely help you feel better. Speak with a friend or a colleague about anything other than the game which lifts your mood for ex.- movies, music, politics, cooking etc. Even just a few minutes chitchat can work wonders and take your mind off the stressors.
Engage yourself in a physical activity
Going for a walk, exercise, playing some physical game with friends, etc are the simple ways to take a break from stress as these activities help you concentrate in the present on your body movements and give little time to the brain to wander. Physical activities also relax muscles and take your mind off your worries.
Develop a hobby
Get off from the poker table for some time and play a musical instrument, read a book, cook your favorite dish, watch a comedy movie, or go to a spa. A good hobby helps you combat stress and attain mental peace.
Other than relaxing your body and mind, these activities help you develop a healthy self-image, boost your confidence, and soothe your mind. Negative feelings come from looking back at those things which have already happened. You cannot change anything but thinking about those things will make you upset and increase your level of stress. A good poker player understands how crucial it is to maintain composure under pressure on the game table. A moderate amount of stress can help you perform better in difficult situations in the game, but high level of stress can put a serious impact on your mental health.
Follow above-mentioned golden tips if you want to reduce your stress level after a serious poker session and ensure playing your best whenever you return back to the table for the next gaming session.