Sports and Mental Health

You probably have heard all your life that sports are good for your health. But do you know how exactly it adds to your health and if there are any other benefits to sports other than improving health? Moreover, do sports always improve health? This article will answer all these questions with evidence-based research and studies.

1. The Multidisciplinary Effect of Sports

Sports positively influences mental health, academic performance and even aging!

a. Mental Health: 

First, doing sports increases levels of endorphins and decreases those of adrenaline and cortisol which help moderate stress levels. It helps you shift your focus towards the activity you are doing and thus calms your mind and improves your mood. Interestingly enough, these effects come with more benefits when a person engages in team sports rather than individual ones. One study reports less anxiety and depressive symptoms in teenagers who played team sports and another study finds that Norwegian teenagers who played in clubs are less likely to form addictions to cigarette smoking and cannabis use. Additionally, sports can improve some symptoms of mental health disorders such as difficulty thinking and loss of motivation associated with schizophrenia.

b. Academic Performance: 

One study done in North Carolina county finds that middle school students who participated in sports at their school reported academic achievement, positive self-esteem and body image. Furthermore, the research team from the University of Sydney’s Perkins Centre reviewed 115 studies done worldwide on middle school and high school students. These studies show that students who participated in school sports did better academically than those who participated in sports outside school.

c. Aging: 

Elderly people who engage in sports are more likely to have better body balance, refrain from falls and become more flexible and stronger. Additionally, sports improve their cognitive functions, boosts their mood and allows them to build social relationships necessary for their well-being. Not only does sports help elderly but it also helps young adults in slowing the process of aging. Exercise can act at the cellular level, decrease the rate of loss of telomeres at the ends of DNA strands and thus slow the process of aging. One study shows a reduction of about 75% in telomere loss in elderly runners! Moreover, aerobic exercise boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain and increases the function of a brain region called the anterior cingulate gyrus that improves cognition and focus.

2. Negative Impact of Sports on Mental Health

Any activity that becomes associated with stress and puts too much pressure on a person becomes deleterious on his/her mental health. It makes sense that the people who are the most susceptible to the negative effects of sports are athletes. Elite athletes in particular may face the most pressure because they usually participate in national and international competitions. Athletes are put under pressure to balance work, academics, practices and personal lives while having to stay in good shape and health at all times. Some negative effects of sports on mental health are cited below:

a. Sports may lead to or exacerbate eating disorders (EDs) in athletes:

There are many risk factors that leads to EDs in athletes including:

i- family influences: high criticism, parental eating attitudes, divorce, etc.

ii- individual factors: low self-esteem, perfectionism, self-sacrifice, etc.

iii- sports factors: injury, illness, training environment, loss of coach, etc.

iv- general vulnerability factors: genetics, social pressure, childhood traumas, etc.

There are a lot of questionnaires that can assess at-risk athletes and one of the simplest ones is the SCOFF test shown below. If the athlete answers “yes” to at least two of the questions, then he/she is likely to have an ED and should be referred to a professional.

b. Sports may lead to “Overtraining Syndrome” (OTS):

OTS is a decrease in an athlete’s performance due to excessive exercise without enough rest along with mood disturbances. OTS was first reported in the 1930s but its diagnosis and treatment is difficult due to its complex nature and the little data published about it. OTS differs from functional and nonfunctional overreaching by the time period needed for the person to be able to perform again. 

OTS is the most severe and may take months or even years for the person to recover from the stressors that lead to it. There are many hypotheses behind the pathogenesis of OTS and more studies must be done to understand this condition.

c. Sports may increase depressive symptoms and stress:

Young children may experience a lot of stress from critical parents or coaches. On the other hand, older athletes may have very high expectations for themselves which puts them under a lot of pressure and may lead to burnout. Additionally, performance expectations, injuries and retirement from sports increase the risk of depression among elite athletes.