Traditionally, sports have been viewed as primarily beneficial to physical health. However, there’s a growing awareness of their substantial impact on mental well-being. Sports contribute significantly to an individual’s psychological, emotional, and social development. Sports fosters character. Participating in sports can help individuals develop traits like leadership, sportsmanship, strategic thinking, risk taking and a positive attitude.
While sports often benefit mental well-being, there is a darker side to athletic participation & competition. Athletes like Michael Phelps, Naomi Osaka, and Simone Biles have bravely shared their personal struggles with mental health, becoming powerful advocates for greater awareness and understanding of these issues. Simone Biles even retired early from Tokyo Olympics 2020 to prioritize her mental well-being and has been regularly seeing her therapist ever since then.
Sports Psychology is one such field of sports science & medicine that applies psychological principles to help athletes enhance their performance & maintain their well-being. Sports psychologists primarily focus on two key questions: How do mental factors influence athletic performance, and how does athletic participation affect mental health? They explore the relationship between psychological elements like arousal levels, thoughts, and self-confidence and athletic performance, as well as the impact of sports on psychological development, such as exploring the relationship between running and depression or the impact of losing a match on an athlete’s mood.
Stay tuned to know more about sports psychology and some mental tips to enhance your performance & well-being.
~Jaini Nandu, Sports & Performance Psychologist.