sedoniaraqs

Am I the only experienced performer that gets unexpected adrenalin rushes during performances even after many years of performing at all kinds of venues? It doesn't happen all the time, only sometimes.

It happened to me last weekend at a very low key workshop hafla. It's not exactly stage fright. Mentally I started out calm and confident, but my body decided to go haywire and start shaking. I am sure the shaking of my hands must have been visible.

It may have something to do with the tachycardia and slight heart arhythmia I have. I have read that musicians and other performers sometimes take a beta blocker before performances or auditions to keep this from happening. I wonder if I should look into this. A doctor had me on beta blockers a long time ago for my condition but another doctor took me off of them, saying I didn't need them.

KuteNurse

Sedonia,

I am not an expert in cardiology, but what I would recommend is for you to see a cardiologist whom you respect and like the way he/she practices medicine, then see what he/she says about being on a beta blocker. Also, I would not rule out other ailments as reasons for these episodes. I get a little bit of anxiety on occassion and I know it not a fun place to be. My heart races and I feel like I have to take big breaths to calm down. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

We all have these periods of nervouness, especially before a perfomnace. Me? I have to be near the ladies room LOL. Everyone has some type of arrhythmia it's called atrial fibrillation. It is usually short-lived and most people don't require treatment. Sometimes it's triggered by too much caffeine or nicotine and of course stress. Your body will respond to stress by having the adrenal glands release epinephrine(adrenalin) into your system. This will cause your heart to race. A beta-blocker may help, but all meds carry side effects and if you do not have chronic a-fib(only your doc can tell for sure!) why bother? Does this happen frequently? Or just performance times? Do you feel light-headed or short of breath during these times? See a doctor if the symptoms are problematic.
In addition to meds, yogic breathing can help too. The calming effect of breathing can center your mind and phyiologically, it will provide extra oxygen to your heart as well.
Yasmine

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Salome

I do experience this also, occasionally. Though not during performance but before hand. I take a little rescue remedy when it occurs. And that takes the edge off.

adiemus

You can get beta blockers prescribed for pre-performance anxiety, all it does is settle your heart rate down, doesn't work on other symptoms of anxiety like sweaty palms (LOL). Getting your heart checked out might be useful, just for reassurance, but it's unlikely to be anything serious or I think your Doc may have done more than just put you on BB's.
That adrenaline rush is just an anxiety thing - even if your mind doesn't recognise your anxiety, your body does!! It's good to learn some breathing techniques, and have some pre-performance anxiety-reduction rituals to draw on.
If you can think of them as 'energy surges' rather than anything to worry about, they'll settle down quite quickly - and the wee kick they give will add edge to your performance.
There is heaps of info on the net about performance anxiety and how to use that zizz effectively - it's good to have some anxiety, adds pep to a performance - but it's also good to have it under control. I'll look up some sites when I get to work and flick them on to here. I have some books also, which are at work, and I'll put them up here too.

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