If you’ve ever invested your time in learning how to better your mental health, you’ve undoubtedly heard that physical activity and movement are vital to that a million times over.
There’s a difference between hitting the gym and participating in a sport. Even sports viewed as solo endeavors, like rock climbing, offer an opportunity to socialize and immerse yourself in a new community.
If you’re wondering how sports specifically can affect and benefit your mental health, we’ve brought all the facts together to show you how.
Short-Term Benefits
One reason mental health game plans can fall through or seem to be not working for you is that there isn’t an immediate effect. It can discourage people from pursuing it any longer, where perhaps continuing without seeing results feels like a waste of time.
Take golf, for instance. It’s a game that requires you to learn skills and practice to improve. However, that first feeling of success will give you an instant boost.
It’s small victories where you will see those short-term rewards. Celebrating the small wins can improve your mental health, pushing you to go further, providing motivation, and keeping you on track.
Grab some golf head covers, show your personality, and get to know the other players on the grounds to help you improve your game.
Long-Term Benefits
Playing sports for longer offers you long-term rewards.
Studies show that young people involved in team sports become adults with improved mental health versus those who didn’t participate in team sports when they were younger.
One study assessed 9668 people, some of whom had experienced traumatic events before the study. The results showed a significant association between better mental health and participating in team sports. The benefits were more noticeable among males. Factors pointing towards better mental health included a lower rate of symptoms like anxiety and depression.
The Specifics
So what is it about sports that impacts mental health positively?
For one, the more physically active you are, the more you’ll need to prioritize your sleep. Almost every symptom of every mental condition discusses sleep at some point, whether you’re getting too little or too much. Either way, there is an issue. If you exercise and tire yourself out, you’ll find sleep becomes a necessity rather than feeling like a task.
Physical activity releases endorphins—happy chemicals like endorphins lower pain levels and stress. Participating in even 20 minutes of activity could help you feel calmer for many hours afterward.
Participating in a sport also gives you access to a network, so even on your down days, you have your team there to support you.
Finally, playing sports, as mentioned previously, requires skill. To put your skill into practice, you’ll need at least a moment’s focus. Any time focusing and concentrating on the task at hand is a moment less you’re feeling distressed or worried.
Get Out There
It’s certainly no easy feat to push yourself out in the world when you’re struggling. It may be difficult, but science has proven that if you push yourself and take the first step to get involved, sports really can help you.
