More handpicked essays just for you.
Does exercise improve mental health
Research paper on mental health effects of exercise
Effects exercise has on our mental and physical health
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Does exercise improve mental health
This study looked at the role of sports in inhibiting the development of early social anxiety symptoms in children between 7 and 8 years old. With multiple hypotheses the researchers hoped to show that exercise and sports will have an anti-anxiety effect on this specific (social) form of anxiety. The specific hypothesis were as follows: children who participate in extracurricular sports should have less social anxiety symptoms one year later than a child practicing no sports, children on a team sport should experience less social anxiety symptoms after one year, children spending more time playing sports should show less anxiety symptoms after one year, and finally that children who participate on teams should have better social behavior in classrooms.
The background for this study was extensive with two different banks of information available. The first was the idea of sports having the ability to combat social anxiety. Some of the research showed no link between exercise and depression/anxiety, but a connection remained with improved social performance. The other perspective cited...
Blood pressure rising and testosterone dropping are good symptoms (that is, to someone who is a sports enthusiast); nail biting, heart pounding, and barn burning games are bread and butter to sports enthusiasts such as me. Rivalry, unity, and relaxation help me bond with other individuals who share a common interest as I do. Within the article “Are Sports Fans Happier?”, author Sid Kirchheimer gives his bias reasoning over sports and its social, health, and psychological effects on sports enthusiasts, which elaborates and aligns concisely to why I passionately enjoy lacrosse and soccer. Fundamentally speaking, sports initially bequeath an array of positive benefits besides good health and mental stability; sports allow individuals to indulge
Catherine Cangany’s article Fashioning Moccasins: Detroit, the Manufacturing Frontier, and the Empire of Consumption, 1701-1835, cover the main theme 18th century Detroit. Cangany explores how the moccasin, a fashionable and practical shoe, transformed from a shoe exclusively worn by native groups to a highly fashionable shoe that French and British colonies started to integrate into their own culture to taking the moccasin to manufacturing and becoming Europeanized. Though out many decades, the process of creating moccasins became more ‘industrial’ which made them a symbol of native culture to East Coast fashion. Cangany’s article examines how the production of moccasins became so popular and fashionable among European colonists that eventually moccasins no longer were a native creation.
Children in the middle childhood stage will be confronted with new academic and social demands. These children may also engage in teamwork tasks to help develop skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) children from the ages of 6-11 years old will face a critical time to develop self-confidence in school work, friends, and sports. Although, as indicated, school age children are faced with new academic and social demands the strengths achieved are important to advance in Erikson’s psychosocial stages. In my discussion, I compare a child’s behavior and his soccer team to Erikson’s Industry (Competence) vs. Inferiority stage.
Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.
However, what this argument does not take into account is that athletes have an abundance of pressure put on them that most non-athletes don’t ever experience. Hence, the saying, “go hard or go home”. A recent study emphasizes this fact as McClatchy notes, ”The researchers monitored mood levels of 465 collegiate athletes over three years and found 6.3 percent of the athletes met the criteria for clinically significant depression and 24 percent were considered ‘clinically relevant’ “ (2016). Studies like these prove that athletes are not blind to the idea of depression, but rather experience this disorder themselves. Anxiety has a huge role in depression. As sportsperson, there is constant effort to become an awe-inspiring player. As the stakes of the game raise, so does the anxiety. Some want a scholarship, some want to show off what they offer to a team that got a scholarship, and some are professionals. Regardless of whether it's grade school sport or a professional sport, failing at personal goals one set is down right depressing. Kearns and Hwang state that, ”While it’s not clear whether the source of challenges to a student-athlete's mental well-being is the same as those non-athletes, collegiate athletes are known to encounter unique stressor that the general population doesn’t have to deal with, such as the demands, relationships with coaches and missed scheduled classes” (2014). Pressure is something everyone experiences. However, athletes experience some of the same pressure that of non-athletes and then some. Being on a sports team is demanding to time and the idea of being “superior”. In athletics, coaches are everything. For example, If a coach likes how a person attributes as a team player, then that person will get a chance to shine. However, if the coach is not very fond of one, then the chances of opportunities are not very
Participation in sports has proven to increase self-discipline and self-esteem, and can teach athletes to learn from their mistakes and move on (Issitt). Athletes playing team sports also develop the ability to work well with others and use teamwork in their everyday lives. Teammates form relationships that are strengthened over a common passion and goal. These relationships can last long after high school is over (Chen). These social skills translate into better communication used with an athlete’s family, peers, and in the community. Likewise, “A 2006 study in Maryland found that student athletes are 15 percent more likely than non athletes to be involved in their communities and to take the time for civic engagements, including participating in voting and volunteer activities” (Issitt). The same study also concluded that athletes are far more likely to be comfortable with public speaking than non-athletes. This study provides concrete evidence that high school sports can help to gain mental and social skills that will be used later in life
(WHO, 2014). Mental health problems within sport is often overlooked compared to the physical sporting benefits and difficulties which be improved or occur due to sports participation. Many researchers often focus upon the physical side of sport as stereotypically sport and the physiology of participants have always been closely linked, but the psychological side of sport not so much until more recent years, which could possibly due to the stigma of mental health being perceived as deeming a person ‘weak’ causing a reduced mount of people to want to speak about their own mental health and wellbeing, making research difficult to conduct. But with the social stigma of mental health gradually reducing many more people, particularly adults are expressing their mental health concerns and issues with more comfort and ease. With this reduce in stigma, a number of staggering statistics has recently been released by the Mental Health Foundation, with nearly half of the adult population within the UK, specifically 43.4%, now reporting to have a diagnosable mental health condition, 1 in 6, 17%, experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety and depression and more shockingly, 1 in 5, 20.6%, admitting to considering taking their own
Kim, Y. S., Park, Y. S., Allegrante, J. P., Marks, R., Ok, H., Ok Cho, K., & Garber, C. E. 2012 Relationship between physical activity and general mental health. Preventive Medicine 55(5), 458-463.
Vickers, E. (2014, February 11). Mental Health in the Student-Athlete. - The Sport In Mind – Sport Psychology. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.thesportinmind.com/articles/mental-health-in-the-student-athlete/
People who have become involved in sports and recreation develop a larger group of friends, receive more social support, and are more likely to engage in conversation with o...
Sports and performance anxiety often go hand-in-hand, while many athletes become "pumped up" during competition, when the rush of adrenaline is interpreted as anxiety, and negative thoughts begin to swirl, it can have devastating effects on the overall per...
Several researches have revealed that physical exercise has relieved many people from symptoms of anxiety and depression. During physical activity and exercise, the body produces a type of chemical called “serotonin”, a chemical that aids while dealing with anxiety, stress and depression. Studies also have shown that people who participate in sports results in higher self- esteem and a more positive self- image. Many studies made conclusions that adolescents and students who take part in sports and physical activities tend to have positive and higher self esteem than students who do not play sports and often tend to result better in academic performances at school.
In the article, “Athletes and Coaches Report Mental Health is Slightly More Important Than Physical Health in Overall Performance; Both Agree That More Communication is Needed to Address Mental Health Concerns.”, the Minds in Motion Depression Awarenes Campaign conducted a survey and found that the athletes and coaches believed that “mental health shares an equal, and/or slightly greater role than physical health, in defining peak athletic
It has been known a proven fact that participation in high school sports encourages better moods, self-esteem, and a higher level of academic achievement. This has been proven through various studies, one of them being a study done in New York. In 2006, the Carnegie Corporation of New York discovered that students benefited from participating in high school sports. An improvement in grades, confidence, and personal health and welfare were appreciably noted in ...
The benefits of sports range from physical, mental, and social. Exercise keeps people fit, develops healthy muscle tone, and reduces heart and lung problems (Oak, Manali). Sports studies have shown that “youth are motivated and engaged in ways that do not happen regularly in any other parts of their lives. Their experience of sports stands out from nearly all other activities, including socializing and schoolwork, in providing enjoyment where they are exerting concerted effort toward a goal” (Larson, Reed, and Sean Seepersad). People who play sports bond over a common interest. This opens up children to meeting new kids and socializing with many more. In Kindergarten, I played baseball. Even though I did not truly understand all the mechanics of the game, I met new friends and began to develop motor skills. This was very useful starting at an early age and pushed me to stay active throughout my life.