OMER MEI DAN PROFESSIONAL

OMER MEI DAN PROFESSIONAL

Omer Mei Dan, a US-based orthopaedic surgeon, researcher and former professional BASE jumper, and Erik Monasterio, a forensic psychologist at the University of Otago in New Zealand and lifelong mountaineer, have tried for years to understand what role the personalities of elite extreme athletes play in choosing to risk their lives and then process those experiences. Strange as it may sound, fear can be deeply therapeutic. The results were moderately good, but just the fact the scientists chose rock climbing suggests some emotional benefit for fear. One creative group of German scientists even experimented with rock climbing as a form of therapy for depression. It might seem strange that the best way for me to deal with stress is to basically flood my brain with it, but without things like climbing or river kayaking, I don’t think I could have gotten through these last 17 months.Īdrenaline sports have also long been popular with veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. For some of us, those seemingly negative emotions during exercise are the whole reason to work out. You’ve got to clear your head, get right in the brain, blow off some steam. It might seem strange that the best way for me to deal with stress is to basically flood my brain with itīut this doesn’t mean that emotions, such as stress or aggression, have no place in exercise.Īlmost any passionate athlete will tell you their sport is as much a mental health aide as a physical one. And certainly this Olympic year was a lesson in the dangers of over-stressing elite athletes on and off the field. Small studies have bolstered this belief one suggested that racquetball's 'competitive nature' is less relaxing than weight or circuit training, while another found that adding stress to a biking workout hampers immune function. Traditional exercise psychologists might say no, because anything that spikes your stress hormones, be it through fear or aggression, is not good for mental health. Is parkour jumping from a rooftop or slamming a tennis ball across the court good for the mind? Or that calming activities, such as yoga or tai chi, can help you feel refreshed and recharged. There is no doubt that exercise is good for your heart and your mental health. How did something so terrifying make the world feel less chaotic and stressful?

On Sunday, I would dangle 80ft off the ground, scared out of my gourd, and by Monday schoolwork just seemed easier. On Friday I’d be a distracted mess of hormones and teen angst. I wasn’t good at that, but I loved the feeling it gave me. And yet, I still wanted to find a sport that was right for me, so I got into rock climbing. When I was in school, I was not particularly athletic.

Omer mei dan