How 9 Olympians and Paralympian Practice Self-Care

• Pair's Figure Skater Ashley Cain-Gribble:

             “I make time every morning for 10 minutes of meditation or mindfulness to check in with my body and see how I’m feeling,” says the American pairs figure skater Ashley Cain-Gribble. And she sets aside 30 minutes each night to stretch before bed to help her body unwind from an intense day of training.

Just as you brush your teeth twice a day, aim to meditate every day at the same time. Not sure when? Experts agree that first thing in the morning is optimal for several reasons.

•  Alpine Skier Mikaela Shirin: Music

          The American alpine skier and three-time Olympic medalist Mikaela Shirin revealed in an interview with People Magazine in June 2020 her struggles with pressure and performance anxiety. Shirin, who plays piano and guitar, told people: Music is a really powerful tool that can help us feel things more deeply. … It can also help us to drive and control our own mindset and emotions, or it can take control of us. She finds joy inventing acoustic versions of songs in order to share in what the songwriter may have felt when putting pen to paper, she's previously said.

•  Speed Skater Erin Jackson: Stretching, a Massage Gun, and Tart Cherry Juice

       The American speed skater and two-time Olympian Erin Jackson says her self-care is all about optimizing recovery and sleep. Part of this routine includes daily tart cherry juice. Research indeed links cherry juice to potential benefits like better sleep and improved muscle recovery, though the evidence for the latter was found in elite athletes who were performing at a peak fitness level, according to a review published in 2017 in the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports.

What the self-care expert says, feeding your body nutrient-dense foods can absolutely help set you up to perform better, Master son says. There’s no lack of evidence that a healthy diet promotes good long-term health; a review published in 2020 in BMJ concluded that among those benefits are reduced inflammation and better mental health.

•  Wheelchair Curler Stephen Amt: Visualization, Cardio, and an Infrared Sauna

Meditation and positive imagery are the self-care practices of the Paralympian wheelchair curler Stephen EMT. He says he pictures curling shots repeatedly in preparation for competition.

Research published in December 2016 in Basic and Applied Social Psychology concluded that imagery in sports is indeed beneficial in improving objective performance. Master son says it can also help you build confidence when you imagine yourself performing well, correcting errors, and reaching personal achievements in any realm, whether it's work, your studies, hobbies, or relationships.

•  Biathlete Paul Schooler: Journaling

         What the self-care expert says Master son says there's a good deal of evidence that spirituality has positive effects on health; more specifically, the act of prayer has shown benefits to the cardiovascular system (in a study that looked at the effects of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on heart rate variability), immune system, and mood. And journaling is a common strategy people use to clarify their thinking and identify thoughts that interfere with well-being, Master son says.

•  Freestyle Skier Eileen GU: A Good Night’s Sleep

The American-born Chinese freestyle skier Eileen GU made skiing history as the first woman to land a forward double cork 1440 during a practice session, according to the International Olympic Committee. She’s also launching a modeling career. How does she restore her mind and body.