Sport benefits for mental health

Physical activity and exercise programmes have a positive impact on the body and mind, everybody knows this. Have you ever considered how important could the impact of sport be on your mind?

Everyone knows it is paramount to maintain a healthy diet and exercise program is for overall health. The general idea is that a balanced diet and 30 minutes of exercise five times a week improves quality of life. However, lifestyle habits, such as participation in team sports and regular exercise, don’t just affect physical health. Mental health will also be affected.

The mental health benefits of exercise

Participation in sport can affect everyday mental and emotional health, from mood and sleep quality to communication and leadership skills.

Reduce depression and anxiety

When you are actively playing sports, your mind is engaged in the activity at hand. There is no time to focus on the stresses and worries of the day.

For people with mental health problems, regular physical activity can help reduce depression and anxiety. When people are depressed or anxious, they are less likely to get up and walk. Lack of exercise can lead to a lack of endorphin production, which can affect mental health. Low activity can also lead to more negative thoughts as it frees the mind from worry and anxiety.

The best way to keep depression at bay is to get up and get moving. It keeps your mind engaged and reduces the stress hormones in your body.

Improved concentration and focus

Exercise improves your ability to think, analyze and make good decisions. During exercise, you often need to analyze situations quickly and make decisions and take action. This activates your eyes and brain and helps you focus better on your work.

Self-confidence

Regular physical activity through exercise can improve your confidence. With each workout and race, you become stronger and improve your skills. This helps to improve your self-image. When you master your skills, you will be proud of your achievements, which will be noticed off the field.

Training everyday, evolving in a sport is a way to build something solid in a life. It helps feeling good about some achievements. For example, if you practice boxing, everyday, you will be training for hours, drilling your movements through shadow boxing and strengthening your body with workouts.

Improve social and leadership skills

Sport allows you to interact in a positive way with others. Then, physical activity boosts self-confidence, improves communication and listening skills, and helps children learn the difference between aggression and assertiveness. It depends on the sport, but for groupe sport, it is excellent in social skills !

Physical activity can provide opportunities to make friends and socialise with others and learn to work in groups.

The mental health benefits of team sports go beyond improving social cues and communication skills. By participating in sports activities, athletes can develop leadership skills that can be used off the field.

Athletes learn to work with their teammates to achieve common goals. Team building can be applied both on and off the field. Sport helps people learn to work together in school, at work and in social situations. These skills are important leadership qualities.

Impact of sport on your energy

Have a better sleep

Having trouble sleeping? Practice.

Improve your sleep through physical activity. The most obvious reason is that it gives you energy, which tires you out. The body needs rest and recovery after activity, and sleep is the best way to achieve this.

When you do sport on a regular basis, your sleep will become a lot better. However, don’t practice 1 or 2 hours before going to bed, it will have an opposite effect !

A better night’s sleep has a positive impact on the next day’s work. When you are well rested, you have more energy and feel better.

Boost your energy

You want to be happier? Add sport to your routine!

Physical activity, even a 10 min run, stimulates neurotransmitters that trigger feelings of pleasure. Whether you’re exercising with a friend or teammate or taking a brisk walk, the effect of endorphins is the same. You will feel happier and more relaxed.

Playing a team sport also gives you time to relax with your friends. Not only does the exercise itself make you feel better, but social interaction in a recreational environment also has mental health benefits. Relax, laugh and spend time with your friends.

Sport is excellent for the body, but also for your mind! When a child is very sportive during childhood, he develops multiple qualities, conferring him a better sense of responsibilities and excellent capacities for his life.

For an adult, practicing a sport in a regular habit is also excellent, it helps being happier, evading from work and it will fly your stress away. So, yes, you should do sport everyday! It is time to begin!