Playing poker can be quite an intense experience. Whether you choose to play poker online or visit a land-based gambling venue, you will need a lot more than a solid strategy and lots of practice hours to start winning.
To become a successful poker player, you have to be able to sit at the tables for hours on end without losing focus, which is a hard task – no matter how seasoned of a player you are.
Dozens of pro players revealed that they live a healthier lifestyle, which helps them to improve their poker skills to no end. By eating better, sleeping more, and exercising, players were able to perform much better at the table.
When you’re competing against capable players, you have to stay sharp at all times. Your main task is to read your opponent’s behaviour better and figure out what your next move should be accordingly. Anything that dulls your senses will hurt you in the long run, and that includes lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, and eating too much.
So if you want to ensure you’re at your best when you hit the tables, learn how to take care of yourself better.
Eating Right
Have you heard the saying “you are what you eat”? Every type of food you consume has a different effect on your body, and when you have to sit for hours on end at the poker table, the wrong food choice can cost you - big time.
For starters, eating too much before playing means you will be sleepy when the game unfolds, thus drastically reducing your ability to stay focused on the game.
Plus, if your diet consists mainly of junk food and sweets, you will probably experience a sugar high, followed immediately by a dramatic drop in blood sugar levels. That means that for about half an hour, you will be on top of the world, but once the sugar leaves your system, you will start feeling lethargic.
To avoid that kind of scenario, you should eat a bit better before games. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid gluten completely, although there are some players who believe that is the right way to go. However, you do need to implement some changes to your diet.
Make sure to incorporate more protein-induced foods into your diet, cut back on caffeine and junk food, and drink a lot of water when you play. Also, you should eat lighter meals whenever you need to stay focused for long periods of time.
Sleeping Patterns
We’ve all experienced sleepless nights in our lifetime, which always result in a sour mood and drowsiness in the following day. To be the best poker player you can possibly become, you need to sleep at least 7-10 hours every night.
Exercising
As it turns out, exercising is not only good for the soul – it is also good for your brain. Physical activity can boost your brain metabolism, specifically influencing areas that are in charge of memory and decision making – both of which are crucial when you play offline or online poker.
On top of it all, when you exercise, your body produces massive amounts of hormones that can improve your levels of alertness and reduce stress, which can only serve to improve your poker play.
That being said, that doesn’t mean you have to start running marathons or taking up CrossFit, but you need to find the type of physical activity that you will be able to perform at least a couple of hours a week. Whether you like yoga, running on a treadmill or playing basketball – as long as you exercise regularly, you won’t have a problem.
In Conclusion
Do you want to improve your chances of winning at poker? Minor lifestyle changes can help you achieve your goal!