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alright, i need all your help. i have heard that eating a banana before a performance can help reduce anxiety because it has beta-blockers. Is this true? Are there any other foods that will help reduce anxiety? if so, how long before i play should i eat them? Please help, i have a recital on monday, and some very important music figures will be there, listening to my Rachmaninoff....

You'd have to eat about 50 bananas for it to even make a remote difference. The problem is in your head, not your nervous system. My advice: relax.

I don't know if I'm right, but probably the last thing you should be doing before a performance is doing something you don't usually do. If you don't usually eat bananas, I wouldn't eat one before a performance. It just wouldn't feel right. Doing what you normally do and are used to doing will probably let you relax a lot more. I hope this makes sense.

Bananas probably won't help you. But something that definatly will is breathing! Take a few deep breaths before you walk onto the stage and then keep doing it until you feel comfortable. Usually for me its when I start playing that I get comfortable

Another thing that helped me before performing (if you are in a place with a backstage or someplace you can hide) is to run in place, jump up and down, wave your arms frantically, etc.

Not enough to break into a sweat, breathe heavily, etc., but enough to get your body moving. One of my fellow performers explained that jittery nerves are part of your body's normal "fight or flight" response, and by moving around you can get rid of some of the adrenaline that's being generated. Well, for whatever reason it has worked for me.

Also remember (but this is obvious) to take your time at the bench before playing... take a deep breath, "hear" the first few bars of what you will be playing, make sure the bench is adjusted to where you want it, etc.,etc.

Good luck! I'm sure you will do great, nerves can't mask talent and preparation!

Nina

It helps me not to indulge in caffeine several hours prior to performing. But... if one is addicted and has a headache from abstaining, it might be a better idea to go ahead and have a cup of coffee, tea, Pepsi, whatever.

Nerves will exaggerate the effect of being slightly too cold into shaking hands.

I have never heard that before. I have read in several articles, and have also been told by doctors in my family (I have a lot of doctors in my family, who are always giving me advice) that bananas are high in “potassium” which is why a lot of people with “hypertension” eat a banana a day, just to get the added potassium that they need. People who take medications for “High Blood Pressure” sometimes can lack potassium in their system, and can feel tired all the time because of this. Eating a banana a day can give you more energy if you lack potassium in your diet.