How Sports Improve Mental Health

Playing sports, whether in a team or alone, helps improve mental health by building friendships, reducing anxiety and depression, boosting confidence, and teaching important life skills. Team sports are a fantastic way to build friendships and improve mental health. Being part of a team creates strong social connections, helping individuals feel less lonely and more supported. Participating in sports not only boosts mood through the release of "feel-good" hormones but also reduces stress and anxiety. Coaches and educators emphasize that these activities foster communication skills and self-esteem, making them essential for personal growth. Overall, team sports provide a fun and effective way to enhance well-being while connecting with others.

Team sports

Team sports, in particular, are great ways where one can create social connections and be a part of a support group or network. Being part of a team creates friendships and helps an individual feel like part of a group. These social interactions may be very important for mental health, offering emotional support and diminishing feelings of loneliness or isolation. Living Waters Lutheran College talks about how team sports not only improve your emotional state through a support network but also improve your communication skills. Improving basic skills everyone has through communication, and bringing them to a completely new level. Opening avenues for better emotional communication, making your feelings easier to express, further improving your mental health. 

Mental-Health Benefits of Sports

When you participate in exercise or sports, your body releases hormones called endorphins. These are often referred to as the “feel-good” hormones. Endorphins help improve your mood and sense of well-being. Additionally, participating in exercise reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. This helps to alleviate stress and anxiety. According to the American Psychological Association, regular physical activity can significantly reduce stress and improve overall mental health. Other studies also reveal that sports and exercise can actually help prevent depression, or alleviate many of its symptoms, especially through the release of a protein named “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” which can also improve memory and the ability to learn. 

When participating in a sport, one can set many goals for oneself, either mastering skills, reaching levels of fitness, or meeting standards set in a competitive nature. Improvement in these goals can increase self-esteem and confidence. It is this sense of achievement and development that leads to a good perception of yourself through sport. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular physical activity helps one feel better about oneself, improving self-esteem and self-worth.

Connections to FDR:

We interviewed Dr. Crockett, Activities Director here at FDR. We asked him two questions.  The first was, “How have you seen students’ mental health improve through their participation in sports here at FDR?” to which he responded: “It's challenging to determine if I've seen a noticeable improvement in the mental health of our students, but I believe students who participate in sports find relief from the stress caused by academic performance, as well as help with social integration. Being on a team also helps students reduce anxiety. Mental health has become a significant concern after the pandemic, and sports offer a way to improve it.” 

We also asked: “In your experience, how do team sports at our school help students build social connections and a sense of community?” He responded: “As a coach and athletic administrator for many years, I’ve seen that sports teams serve as a key way to foster social connections and a sense of belonging within a school community. When a student joins a team, they quickly form strong bonds with their teammates. Teammates often support each other and include one another in social activities. Athletic teams also strengthen the school community by uniting students to cheer for their team, build school spirit, and show support for classmates. The social connections formed through joining and committing to a team may be one of the best ways for a student to find their group and connect with peers.” 

Overall, sports provide a great opportunity to escape the stressful worries and woes of school and enjoy teammates and friends in the growth toward your own sport related goals. Exercise and sport are a great way to improve your mental health, but also learn the discipline that is so useful in many other aspects of life. Find a sport right for you, set goals, work towards those goals, and most importantly of all, have fun in the process. 

Sources:

“The Mental, Emotional and Social Benefits of Team Sport.” Living Waters Lutheran College, 17 July 2020, https://www.livingwaters.wa.edu.au/the-mental-emotional-and-social-benefits-of-team-sport/.

Bubnis, Daniel. “Mental Health Benefits of Exercise: For Depression and More.” Healthline, 31 January 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/exercise#Exercise-and-depression. Accessed 27 September 2024.

“Exercise and Fitness.” Https://www.apa.org, 30 Sept. 2022, https://www.apa.org/topics/exercise-fitness.

“Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to Manage Stress.” Mayo Clinic, 3 Aug. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469.