Sports, without a shadow of doubt, have evolved into an important
aspect of society. While the majority of the population consider it
as a hobby, there are people who are passionate enough to build a
career based on it. It acts as a healthy addition to maintain
balance in our lives.
The effects of playing sports on physical health are well-known. For
example, it helps to boost the metabolism of the body. Not only does
it improve movement and balance, but also increases flexibility of
the body and joint mobility. Rehabilitation after major surgeries is
vital for patients and this is where physical activity comes in
hand. However, the benefits of participating in sports and physical
activity are not limited to physical benefits.
Sports can have a significant amount of impact on one's mental
health. It can help a patient to deal with anxiety. When playing
sports, our focus gets directed to the game itself. In this way our
mind can break off the array of negative thoughts that come with
anxiety. In addition, our brain releases "happy hormones" such as
dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. These hormones assist in
enhancing our mood and improving our sense of well-being.
Interaction with teammates can get rid of social anxiety. Studies
have shown that children who participate in sports in their school
life suffer less from social anxiety and they have a more positive
attitude towards life than those who do not. Thus, sports can be a
form of coping mechanism for people experiencing any form of anxiety
and depression.
Another benefit of playing sports on mental health is that it can
build self-esteem. When we play sports, we often receive tons of
words of encouragement and support from our peers: coaches,
teammates and sometimes even opponents. Regular involvement in
sports leads to continual support from people. As a result, we begin
to feel better about ourselves and have an improved self-image. Due
to drastic changes in appearance and increases of certain hormones
in the body during puberty, teenagers suffer greatly from low
self-esteem. To battle this, parents must encourage their children
to engage in sports from a young age.
While playing sports has its positive effects on mental health, it
also impacts the mind negatively. Athletes often tend to receive
heavy criticism from coaches and other players if they don't perform
well. This can discourage the athletes' overall performance as well
as destroy their confidence. Similarly, frequent losses can tend to
be frustrating to those extremely passionate about their sport.
Despite his success, Michael Phelps, who is a former Olympic
swimmer, had his fair share of mental health issues while playing
sports. "I struggled with anxiety and depression and questioned
whether or not I wanted to be alive anymore", he said.
The suicide rate among college athletes from data collected by the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tells us that
estimated the suicide rate in college athletes to be 0.8–0.93 per
100,000 a year. In correspondence to this data, this was presented
as the second to the fourth leading cause of death. It can be
revealed from this date just how much mental health in athletes is
neglected.
Sports may have some negative effects, but the overall good it does
for us mentally is certainly overweight.
To gain a more realistic view on this topic, an interview was
conducted with former national team players of the women's
basketball team in Bangladesh and the founder of Deshi Ballers, a
leading sports organization in Bangladesh promoting women's sports:
Gulnahar Mahbub Monika and Ashreen Mridha.
Transcript
How has sports helped you with your mental health?
Monika: Sports played a major role in my life when it
came to dealing with my mental health. It basically gave me the
mental strength I needed to take on my struggles with depression.
Ashreen: Sports always gave me a reason to feel happy. Everyone in
this world has their own personal struggles. Whenever I meet my
teammates on the court for practice, I am able to forget about all
the negativity and only focus on playing and having a good time.
Even when I have a bad day at home or at work, playing for 1 hour
gives me instant joy that gives me the positivity to start a new
day.
Do you feel significantly better after a practice session?
Monika: When I'm out there, I forget everything and just
enjoy the moment. It's my little escape from the craziness in my
busy life and all the chaos in my head. And after a good practice
session, I always feel so much better.
Ashreen: Practice sessions have quite an impact on the body. You're
basically tearing muscles every day. It tires me out but at the end
of the day, I always get a good night's sleep after practice, and
sleep is the best thing you can give to your body every day. When
your body is tired, it automatically falls asleep, and when you
sleep well, you wake up energized for another day.
Over a prolonged period, do you see any improvement?
Monika: I've always been an introvert, but thanks to
sports, I've made so many friends along the way. Sports helped me
reduce my anxiety, overthinking, and even helped me to shift my
perspective from pessimism to a more positive outlook in various
situations. Honestly, I think sports are a big part of who I am
today. Without them, I might've turned out quite differently, and
not in a good way.
Ashreen: I realize now that whenever I am off practice (after a
league or tournament) a strange sadness takes over me. Since playing
sports has been a part of my routine for over 20 years, whenever I
am on a break from practice I feel empty. I still end up waking up
at 7:00am even if I don't have practice and I miss my teammates a
lot. After so many years of being in this routine, I now understand
that this has helped me be a disciplined person in other aspects of
life as well (studies and at work). I am much more organized and I
am able to manage stress in a good way. I can handle difficult
situations without having to panic. I can also pass on the same
positive energy to people around me. It's all because of sports. The
athletic lifestyle has helped me stay sane in this rather crazy
world.
Have you noticed any negative effect or any sort of deterioration
over time?
Monika: When it comes to mental health, it's pretty hard
to find any downsides to sports. However, if the environment you're
playing in is negative, that's where things can go south. You might
start doubting yourself, getting all egoistic, even turning into a
bit of a show-off, and that negative competition can really mess
with your mental well-being.
Ashreen: There are times I find my mental health falling, especially
when I am injured or forcefully need to take long breaks from
playing, like during covid. People end up storing many of these
negative thoughts inside themselves, and once they build over time
it sort of takes over your body. If you can program your mind to
filter out the toxic energy and only retain the good parts, life
becomes easier. But this takes a lot of practice and patience.
world.
What is your message to the people out there struggling?
Monika: In today's world, almost each one is struggling
with something in their life. The only difference is that some folks
are seeking help, while others are still figuring out how to handle
things on their own. It's a tough reality, no one can truly help you
except YOU. You've got to find your own way out of the mess. Don't
hang on to those moments; with time, they'll pass, and you'll learn
how to manage all that chaos in your head. Trust me, sharing and
talking can be like magic for untangling those thoughts. So, don't
keep yourself isolated. Keep moving forward, and you'll notice that
there are plenty of people right there with you. And remember
ONE-STEP AT A TIME!
Ashreen: Never be afraid to share your vulnerability and weakness
because it makes you stronger. While it is important to take care of
yourself, it is also important to extend support to others around
you. Sometimes reaching out to friends you haven't heard from in a
long time, or inviting them over for coffee can make a huge
difference in that person's life. We don't know who is going through
what, but we can still do our part to be kind to everyone we meet
and interact with. If there's nothing for you to share with others,
just smile and share some kindness. Make sure every moment you spend
with someone is one that they will never forget.
Sources
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/sports-and-physical-activity
https://www.maruswim.com/blog/post/can-sports-give-us-more-self-confidence-self-esteem
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health