Contents
Ten sports disciplines for ten psychological problems
Psychology and fitness
Pilates helps with anxiety, boxing with depression or running with insomnia
Sport and mental health go hand in hand, and the consequence of physical well-being is essential to maintain good emotional management. Although all physical activity has benefitsWhether it’s running, a team sport, or yoga and Pilates, each of the activities can help a specific type of psychological problem. The ifeel online psychologist platform, together with Gympass, a corporate wellness platform, have developed the study «Sports and mental health», in which they analyze sports disciplines, to see which is the most appropriate to help treat and alleviate each metal disorder.
First of all, the study recommends the practice of yoga if you suffer from anxiety. It is a recommended discipline, since on a mental and physical level it helps to control breathing, achieve awareness of the body and manage emotions in a positive way.
Boxing and Pilates
The study recommends boxing as an aid in treating depression. This practice, whether in a ring or against a bag, alleviates the symptoms of depression, as it provides a large amount of endorphins, a natural mood booster. It also promotes confidence and self-esteem.
In order to reduce panic attacks in prone patients, the study recommends the practice of Pilates. It helps to dominate the body and control impulses, in addition to providing the ability to concentrate.
If you are reluctant to suffer from insomnia, running can be beneficial, since aerobic activities improve blood circulation and heart rate, relaxing the body and facilitating better rest.
Swim against fear
Problems interacting with other people have to do with lack of communication skills and self-esteem issues. For this reason, the study affirms that in these cases, the group sports practice, as it contributes to improving social relationships, such as football, basketball or volleyball. “In these sports it is essential to have the other and communicate with him through simple and clear messages that favor winning together”, they point out.
If you are afraid of loneliness, you can find benefit in swimming, since it is a sport that is normally practiced individually. It can be useful for people who badly tolerate being alone or not sharing activities and who want to improve in this regard. “As it is impossible to practice listening to music or watching something other than the lane you are swimming in, it isolates you from the outside, helping you to focus attention on you in a space where only you are present,” they explain from the study.
Ballroom dancing for couples
Although practicing any sport as a couple can be beneficial for the good progress of the relationship, from the study they point out that any type of ballroom dance is the best ally. “They encourage physical contact, coordination with one another, can be fun and encourage participants to focus on a shared action and not argue,” they argue.
Sport in general helps alleviate self-esteem problems, as it favors the production of neurotransmitters related to pleasure, relaxes, helps to rest and have a healthier body and toned, which helps improve self-esteem. For this reason, for people who need to work on self-concept, the study experts recommend indoor cycling, a very complete sport that helps burn fat and tone while having a good time in company and with good music.
Karate y taichi
For those who have lost a loved one and are grieving, it can be beneficial to play a sport that helps release emotions and acts as an anchor in the here and now. “Sports that require contact, body awareness and controlled expression of energy, such as karate, can be helpful in some difficult situations,” the study states.
Lastly, they recommend tai chi to help people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This sport is a discipline that requires rigorous training, great capacity for concentration and coordination and control over the body. The development of these capacities can be very beneficial in the approach of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).