Healthy Mind features

GP Alasdair R Wright and behaviour analyst Judi James offer advice to football fans bracing themselves for a month of emotional turmoil as the World Cup gets underway. And if international football leaves you cold, we suggest some escape routes...

As the 32 qualifying teams arrive in South Africa for the 19th FIFA World Cup, football fans all over the world will be glued to their TV sets at home or in pubs and bars - aside from those lucky enough to have procured tickets to live matches, of course.

Although England is the only Home Nation to have made it through to the group stage, the disappointment of failing to qualify won't prevent supporters of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from appreciating the skills of some of the world's finest players - many of them affiliated to clubs in the UK or familiar faces from European competitions.

Tension among fans will be mounting from the earliest group stage matches, and will be reaching fever point by the time the surviving 16 teams enter the knockout stage towards the end of June.

So will you be stocking up on the beer at home or heading off to the pub to celebrate/commiserate with fellow fans? If so, Dr Wright has some timely advice to help you maintain sensible drinking habits when stress levels are running high...

There is no doubt that one or two drinks during times of stress can help us relax - but too much alcohol can actually cause stress.

Research shows that, once we start to feel more than just a bit tipsy, our stress hormones (such as adrenaline and cortisol) start to rise. This can make us feel more anxious and can also prevent us from getting a good night's sleep.

So how much alcohol can we consume without triggering this bodily response?

This will depend on several factors: your body size, whether you have eaten, and how quickly your metabolism can get rid of alcohol from the body.

Larger individuals usually need more alcohol to make them feel drunk, and a person who is used to drinking alcohol regularly will usually have greater ability to handle alcohol and metabolise it quickly.

Someone who drinks large amounts occasionally is more likely to get drunk quickly and start feeling the effects of stress, such as a racing pulse and sweaty skin.

As a guide, an average-sized man who drinks a moderate amount of alcohol twice a week would need about 3 pints of 5 per cent strength beer over an hour to feel more than just relaxed.

• For a more relaxed experience, eat a meal before having alcohol. This will reduce the speed of alcohol consumption and delay the rise in blood alcohol levels that can make us feel stressed.
• Stick to 2 or 3 pints, and remember to have water or soft drinks as well to keep your body hydrated, allowing the alcohol excretion to occur more easily.
• Remember that, once you start to feel drunk, you have gone beyond the point of relaxation and will be more likely to induce your body's stress response.

According to social behaviour analyst Judi James, World Cup football provides one of the most extreme events of 'emotional proxy'.

She explains, "Although we have no physical participation with the action whatsoever, we go through agonies of anticipation, excitement, ecstasy, stress, disappointment and depression that seem as intense as the feelings of the guys out on the pitch."

"Every emotion, positive or negative, is shared with millions of strangers, and the compulsive sense of shared experience that creates can produce feelings of isolation or mild bereavement once the games are over."

Judi offers the following tips to help supporters of any team competing in the tournament manage their emotional highs and lows:

• Think as strategically as a football manager. Log all your team's matches in advance, being realistic about the outcomes (including awareness of the pressures of success, as in 'we're more likely to get beaten by a rubbish team, just because it's unthinkable'.)
• Now plot your own survival steps for all potential outcomes. Failing to do so will leave you bobbing like a cork on water, meaning your emotions will go into freefall.
• Prepare for success as well as failure: 'If they win I will celebrate by....' or 'If they lose I will....' Plan things like a romantic evening with your partner, a game of football in the garden with your kids or watching your favourite (non-football-related!) film.
• Plan other pleasures. Football creates an unreal sense of intensity that can trigger the fight/flight response, which in turn creates stress symptoms, meaning your mind is telling your body that it really is a matter of life or death! Try to get the experience into context by not putting other issues or pleasures in your life on hold. The more your life revolves around football during the World Cup, the more you risk suffering from negative stress. Do other things; focus on other goals and positive experiences.
• We tend to drink/eat our way through both success and failure, so work out now exactly what you want your limits to be. However tempting it might be to stockpile booze and fattening snacks, be aware that you risk getting through what's to hand in the space of one nail-biting game.
• Beware last-minute feasting! Fill your fridge with the kind of healthy foods you enjoy to help avoid grabbing last-minute pizzas and takeaways.
• Take steps to manage your stress levels, which are likely to rise the further your team progresses in the competition. Avoid becoming a couch potato, as that will create stress with no outlet. Let off steam in a good way. Even mild exercise, like pacing, walking or bouncing around during games, will release some of the pressure. And make sure you keep up your normal levels of exercise in between games.
• Pre-pick your back-up team(s) to avoid feeling bereft if your own team loses. The league team you support may well have players in different national teams, and switching allegiance to these will help alleviate depression if your own team gets knocked out.
• Avoid extra agitations. Stress can make us irritable, so keep clear of well-intentioned souls who tell you, "It's just a game. I don’t know what all the fuss is about." Arguments will raise your stress levels!

If all the hysteria surrounding the World Cup leaves you feeling bemused, why not leave the football behind and sample some of the rival events going on around the UK in June and July?

While your partner/children/other household members huddle around the TV for hours on end, you could be taking advantage of the quieter cities, towns and roads to grab some precious 'me time'.

It's a great opportunity to catch up with friends or relatives who share your antipathy to football and arrange to do some of those things you never seem to find time for - like visiting an art gallery or exhibition, enjoying some pampering at a spa or just heading to the local park for a picnic and chat.

If you expect to have more leisure time during the tournament, why not plan some days out or short breaks to sample the wide range of rival entertainment on offer in the Home Nations during June and July?

Here's just a small taste of some of the varied events and activities taking place around the UK while the World Cup is in progress, each with its own distinctive national flavour:

• England - Henley Royal Regatta (June 30-July 4). If sports other than football appeal, pack a picnic and head off to the river to watch the rowing. Established as a single afternoon race in 1839, Henley Royal Regatta now takes place over five days, with up to 88 races a day. Non-reserved standard car parking facilities start at £15 per day and riverside car parking and picnic spaces at £35. You can reserve a Traditional Regatta picnic lunch for £20 per head, but why not pack your own healthy picnic? Try our recipes for Tomato Chutney, Sticky Tea Bread and Salmon and Watercress Salad. For further details and to make reservations, visit the Regatta's website (see links, below).
• Northern Ireland - Mourne International Walking Festival (June 25-27). The Festival takes in the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so you can take in the stunning scenery while you exercise. There are walks to suit all levels of fitness and ability, and you can look forward to a hot buffet, entertainment and dancing at the Blister Ball on the final evening. For details, see the Discover Northern Ireland website.
• Scotland - Highland Games (May 9-September 18). Highland Games are taking place in several Scottish cities during the World Cup period, including Strathmore and Aberdeen on June 13 and June 20, respectively. Activities vary from place to place, but will usually feature some mix of traditional Highland games (such as caber tossing and tug 'o war), track and field events, Highland dancing and pipe bands. Full details are available on Visit Scotland's website.
• Wales - Cardiff Festival (July 1-August 1). The Festival is a great option for family days out, with a wide range of activities designed to appeal to all ages and tastes. Attractions include live music, open-air theatre and children's entertainment. Among the flagship events are the Cardiff International Food and Drink Festival and the Cardiff Harbour Festival. Events take place in the city centre and around Cardiff Bay, and many are free. Full details can be found on the Festival's website.

The following websites provide full details about the events listed above, as well as other events taking place around the UK in June and July.

Cardiff Festival
http://www.cardiff-festival.com/CFhome_e.htm

Discover Northern Ireland.com
http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/events

Enjoy England
http://www.enjoyengland.com/attractions/events/special-events/festivals-and-concerts.aspx

Henley Royal Regatta
http://www.henleyregatta.com/index.html

Visit Scotland.com
http://www.visitscotland.com/guide/see-and-do

Visit Wales
http://www.visitwales.com

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