How Can Physical Activity Reduce Stress in Athletes?

How Can Physical Activity Reduce Stress in Athletes?

It is no secret that exercise is good for the body. Sometimes you are too stressed to include this in your schedule. Wait a minute! not all exercises give you stress and cramps. If performed properly exercise and physical activity can help you de-stress! 

It is interesting to note that almost any type of exercise including aerobics and yoga can also be used as a stress management tool. So if you are an athlete or you do not exercise at all or perhaps, you are a couch potato, there are ways you can turn a small amount of exercise into a way of handling stress. Learn about the link between physical activity and stress, and why exercise needs to be on your stress plan.  In this article, you will learn how engaging in sports is important for the well-being of your mind. 

It is a well-understood fact that sports have various benefits for your physical body. However, there are also many psychological advantages of sports as well.  

1. Help Moderate Stress: 

It was observed that between 75% and 90% of doctor visits are a result of stress-related complications. Sport assist you in managing stress. This is because exercising makes your body release endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that are responsible for the relief of pain and stress. It also lowers high stressful hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline in our system. 

Research indicates that as little as 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily, could help to reduce agitation in individuals. This is good as it shows that the body does not get easily agitated even after a few hours of exercising.  

2. Improve Your Mood:

Participation in a game like golf or skiing makes you leave all your problems behind and focus on the game. This helps clear your mind and also cools you down as a person. It also makes you sleep better. 

Sports can impact the human mind in the long run in a positive manner. Scientists conducted research with 9,688 kids who experienced abuse, or emotional deprivation in childhood. Their research revealed that the children who had engaged in team sports had improved mental health as they grew to be adults. 

3. Improve Mental Health Through Team Sports: 

Group involvement in sports affects the mental health of people as compared to single activities. A study conducted on women in Australia discovered that women who participated in club sports such as tennis and netball had better mental health than women who went for individual forms of exercise such as walking or exercising at the gym. Physical health indices did not significantly vary between the two groups. 

Teenage athletes were asked questions and the study showed that those who played individualistic sports were more inclined to have anxiety and depression. It may be because players in team sports games mainly participate in them for recreation. Team sports are games that do not need a partner to play with and the feel of the athlete may be more stressful than the fun. Read more about Guide on How to Loose Fat with Strength Training .

4. Help Fight Addiction 

Teenagers who played in team sports were also observed to be less likely to use cigarettes and cannabis as they transition to adulthood, according to the study done on Norwegian teenagers. Several authors from Korea suggested the use of sports as a way of overcoming the problem of Internet addiction among teenagers.  

5. Help with Depression 

Sports help treat depression. Research has shown that exercise helps lessen the signs and symptoms of depression and the chances of a relapse. One study compared the effectiveness of exercise with the standard treatment of depression and discovered that exercise was as effective as antidepressants in easing depression. Also sleep helps with fighting depression and if you want to read more about it How Does Sleep Impact Athletic Performance?

What Counts as Exercise? 

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), you have to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. It recommends 30-minute exercise sessions at least 5 days a week. Other research indicates that 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity in a week is a good equivalent. In case you don’t have 30 minutes a day for exercising, do three 10-minute exercises in a day. This is almost as effective as doing it in one 30-minute sitting. If you are a beginner in exercising then you should exercise for a long duration at a slower rate. Also read Getting Young Athletes to Prioritize Sleep for Better Performance.

How Athlete’s Guild can Help?

Athlete’s Guild means taking your strength and conditioning training to the next level of performance you never dreamed was possible. From fundamentals, we step up a routine and include weight lifting, agility training, cardiovascular exercises, and flexibility into a program that is as unique as the players. But it is not only about muscles; it is also about strengthening up.

Our professional coaches map out programs that not only increase your overall strength, power as well as stamina but also stress management through exercise. Visualize letting go of the day’s stress every time you lift the weight, every time you sprint, every time you stretch. That’s why when you join the Athlete’s Guild your body is not only being trained but your mind is being built up to face all the tests that life can throw at you.