How Sports Can Benefit Your Mental Health

Often the most challenging time to start a new activity is when you need it the most.  When you are suffering with depression or anxiety, you might feel hopeless, worthless, irritable, and tired. You may have difficulty falling or staying asleep, and your disrupted sleep patterns will increase fatigue and negatively impact your already low mood. Your depression or anxiety will have you believing that there’s no hope in sight, but help may be right outside your front door.

How Sports Can Help

When you’re feeling low and irritable, the last thing you want to do is to get out and move around or spend time with people, and yet, that might be the very thing to get you moving towards health. Participating in sports will not only help you get some much-needed sunlight, fresh air, and exercise, but you’ll meet new friends and have fun doing it.

Improved Mood

Exercise can be an effective treatment component for people with depression or anxiety. Along with the many physical health benefits provided by regular exercise, your mental health will also be supported. Regular exercise releases the body’s endorphins, which help to relieve pain while inducing feelings of pleasure or euphoria. Exercise also improves your mood by reducing the activity of the stress hormone cortisol, which, when in excess, can make you more susceptible to stress and impairs your brain’s ability to function properly.

Better Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, just 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous activity a week will cause you to have a deeper sleep. Better sleep will improve your mood during the day and cause you to feel more alert with increased concentration.

Social Interaction

Depression and anxiety can often cause you to withdraw from friends and family, isolating yourself. We all have a profound need to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging, even  though we may feel like hiding. Making the effort to interact socially through a sports activity can help distract you from your worries while you have fun and make new friends.

How to Get Started

Think back to when you were a kid and the fun activities you used to do to find inspiration for sports you’d like to participate in as an adult. Check out activities like yoga, water aerobics or workout classes, or sign up for a neighborhood softball, basketball or flag football league. You can also look into dancing classes or dance groups. Check the sports category on Meetup.com to find a sport that’s fun and familiar, or new and unique. You can even make a post on your neighborhood app (like Nextdoor.com) to start a group of your own!

Get More Support When You Need It

While exercise is a great way to start moving and connecting, you may need support to get started or work on other aspects of your depression or anxiety issues and therapy can help.  Feel free to contact me today to schedule a free consultation session.