How Mental Fatigue Affects Athletic Performance with Dr. Walter Staiano

I'm really excited about today's guest, Dr. Water Staiano.  After reading Alex Hutchinson's book Endure and doing a little bit of my own research about mental fatigue and performance, I needed to know more.  Personally, this year I have been struggling with fatigue despite one of my lowest training loads.  I learned it was due to the mental fatigue of all the other inputs and projects I take on.  Rest also means resting your brain.  But what actually constitutes resting your body AND your mind?  How do you know if your fatigue is from the body or from the mind?  Dr. Staiano and I got to the bottom of a lot of my questions.  The most exciting part is that the research in mental fatigue is still pretty young and in the next several years, there will be a lot of great tools we can use! Dr. Staiano has spent nearly 20 years in sport science and performance. Working in many research labs around the globe, he has worked closely and created long-lasting collaborations with several sport institutions. Dr. Walter has supported and advised a number of coaches, military personnel and elite athletes preparing for world championship events and the Olympic Games. Dr. Staiano's research in the last few years has been highly ranked for its innovative elements and multidisciplinary approach as well as for its strong impact on elite sport performance.  His passion is integrating evidence-based and experience-based domains, and it has been a successful formula. With the sole purpose to help athletes go beyond their limits and capabilities, he has been wearing many “hats”: physiologist, psychologist, neuroscientist, and coach and sport consultant providing an almost unlimited perspective. Topics Discussed in the Podcast  What is mental fatigue Biomarkers of fatigue/how to know if you are tired How do you train your brain? Does brain training affect athletic performance Mindfulness protocols for brain training and mental endurance how to rest your mind perception of effort vs pain how to use heat acclimatization to prepare for your next event  Listen Now     Links Dr. Staiano's LinkedIn Walter Staiano on Twitter Podcast episode I recorded with Alex Hutchinson Up Your Game with Four Sigmatic: Four Sigmatic offers medicinal mushroom coffees, hot cacaos and elixir products.  Some mushrooms have incredible health-promoting benefits like helping with sleep, immunity, energy management, and focus.  In fact, did you know that Lion's Mane has been used by Buddhist Monks in meditation practice?  These are not psychedelic mushrooms and they aren't the kind you'd put on your pizza.  They are used like you would an herb.  I'm enjoying the Chaga Mushroom Elixir Mix the most right now! I'm excited about using adaptogenic mushrooms as part of my overall health strategy and recovery process. Try Four Sigmatic Mushroom Elixirs and Coffees! 15% off with Four Sigmatic Discount Code: SonyaLooney    --------------The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.