It’s common knowledge that regular exercise has great benefits on your physical fitness and health, however, the mental health benefits are often overlooked. Getting involved with sport is a fantastic way to help improve an individual’s mental strength which in turn will help better their mental health. Regular exercise has been known to have significant positive impacts on various mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
What are the mental health benefits of sport?
The physical benefits of exercise, such as improved aerobic capacity and increase muscle mass are often a key decision as to why people get involved in sport. However, many take part in sports to do more than just change their physical appearance and health.
Regular participation in tennis at any level is a fantastic way to reduce stress and improve your overall mood, however, it doesn’t just stop there. Below are some of the key mental health benefits of playing tennis.
Increased self-confidence
The feeling of accomplishment in learning a new skill is something that cannot be replicated. Tennis is a relatively complex sport that requires a high level of skill in order to compete at a high level. If as a beginner you can track your improvement as you begin to master the sport this will help you give you an immense confidence boost.
Additionally, as you begin to feel your body change as you become physically fitter, you will find that your self-esteem increases. Self-esteem has a significant impact on an individual’s mental health and overall confidence in day to day life.
Improved mood
Tennis, like all forms of exercise, causes the brain to release endorphins, also known as the feel-good hormones, which are known for improving your mood among other benefits. Endorphins reduce your perceptions of pain by triggering a positive feeling throughout your body which in turn will improve your mood.
In addition to this, due to the fact that you have to play tennis with a partner, the social aspect can also help to improve your mood. WebMD even lists tennis as one of the top sports to help combat depression.
Decrease stress
Taking part in exercise provides you with an opportunity to forget about the stresses of everyday life and is a chance to spend some time doing what you enjoy. Regular tennis gives you a physical outlet to work off any muscle tension in your body and is a chance to reduce your stress and blow off some steam.
Greater mental strength
At Tennisletics we love to talk about how tennis is as much about mental strength as is about physical prowess. Tennis involves a high level of strategy and mental strength to ensure that you are always one step ahead of your opponent. Therefore, you are making sure that not only is your body staying active but so is your brain.
Relaxation
Sport and exercise are often considered to be therapeutic and acts as a great form of relaxation. As previously mentioned playing tennis provides you with the opportunity to forget about the stresses of everyday life and take some time to yourself and relax doing something you enjoy. Whether you're training or competing, tennis provides you with the chance to spend some time playing a sport that you love.
Tennisletics is here to help
We have created audio tracks and blogs to help give tennis players of all ages and abilities the tools they require to improve their mental strength and gain an advantage over their opponent.
