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How sports influence your mental health and well being.

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How sports influence your mental health and well being.

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This is a video about how different types of sports change your mental health and well being.

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This is a website about sports and mental health!!

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Find out how taking part in sports can be beneficial for your mental health.

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The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model - Systematic Reviews

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The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model.

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The impact of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: a systematic review and the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model - Systematic Reviews

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Background Sport is a subset of physical activity that can be particularly beneficial for short-and-long-term physical and mental health, and social outcomes in adults. This study presents the results of an updated systematic review of the mental health and social outcomes of community and elite-level sport participation for adults. The findings have informed the development of the ‘Mental Health through Sport’ conceptual model for adults. Methods Nine electronic databases were searched, with studies published between 2012 and March 2020 screened for inclusion. Eligible qualitative and quantitative studies reported on the relationship between sport participation and mental health and/or social outcomes in adult populations. Risk of bias (ROB) was determined using the Quality Assessment Tool (quantitative studies) or Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (qualitative studies). Results The search strategy located 8528 articles, of which, 29 involving adults 18–84 years were included for analysis. Data was extracted for demographics, methodology, and study outcomes, and results presented according to study design. The evidence indicates that participation in sport (community and elite) is related to better mental health, including improved psychological well-being (for example, higher self-esteem and life satisfaction) and lower psychological ill-being (for example, reduced levels of depression, anxiety, and stress), and improved social outcomes (for example, improved self-control, pro-social behavior, interpersonal communication, and fostering a sense of belonging). Overall, adults participating in team sport had more favorable health outcomes than those participating in individual sport, and those participating in sports more often generally report the greatest benefits; however, some evidence suggests that adults in elite sport may experience higher levels of psychological distress. Low ROB was observed for qualitative studies, but quantitative studies demonstrated inconsistencies in methodological quality. Conclusions The findings of this review confirm that participation in sport of any form (team or individual) is beneficial for improving mental health and social outcomes amongst adults. Team sports, however, may provide more potent and additional benefits for mental and social outcomes across adulthood. This review also provides preliminary evidence for the Mental Health through Sport model, though further experimental and longitudinal evidence is needed to establish the mechanisms responsible for sports effect on mental health and moderators of intervention effects. Additional qualitative work is also required to gain a better understanding of the relationship between specific elements of the sporting environment and mental health and social outcomes in adult participants.

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This is an article explaining how and what causes our mood to change when we do sports.

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Sir: In this era of exponential growth of the "metabolic syndrome" and obesity, lifestyle modifications could be a cost-effective way to improve health and quality of life. Lifestyle modifications can assume especially great importance in individuals with serious mental illness. Many of these individuals are at a high risk of chronic diseases associated with sedentary behavior and medication side effects, including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. An essential component of lifestyle modification is exercise. The importance of exercise is not adequately understood or appreciated by patients and mental health professionals alike. Evidence has suggested that exercise may be an often-neglected intervention in mental health care.

Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression. These improvements in mood are proposed to be caused by exercise-induced increase in blood circulation to the brain and by an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and, thus, on the physiologic reactivity to stress. This physiologic influence is probably mediated by the communication of the HPA axis with several regions of the brain, including the limbic system, which controls motivation and mood; the amygdala, which generates fear in response to stress; and the hippocampus, which plays an important part in memory formation as well as in mood and motivation.

Other hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the beneficial effects of physical activity on mental health include distraction, self-efficacy, and social interaction. While structured group programs can be effective for individuals with serious mental illness, lifestyle changes that focus on the accumulation and increase of moderate-intensity activity throughout the day may be the most appropriate for most patients. Interestingly, adherence to physical activity interventions in psychiatric patients appears to be comparable to that in the general population.

Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal. Exercise is especially important in patients with schizophrenia since these patients are already vulnerable to obesity and also because of the additional risk of weight gain associated with antipsychotic treatment, especially with the atypical antipsychotics. Patients suffering from schizophrenia who participated in a 3-month physical conditioning program showed improvements in weight control and reported increased fitness levels, exercise tolerance, reduced blood pressure levels, increased perceived energy levels, and increased upper body and hand grip strength levels. Thirty minutes of exercise of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking for 3 days a week, is sufficient for these health benefits. Moreover, these 30 minutes need not to be continuous; three 10-minute walks are believed to be as equally useful as one 30-minute walk.

Health benefits from regular exercise that should be emphasized and reinforced by every mental health professional to their patients include the following:

1. Increased interest in sex

2. Increased energy and stamina

3. Reduced tiredness that can increase mental alertness

4. Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness

Mental health service providers can thus provide effective, evidence-based physical activity interventions for individuals suffering from serious mental illness. Further studies should be done to understand the impact of combining such interventions with traditional mental health treatment including psychopharmacology and psychotherapy.

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Sir: In this era of exponential growth of the "metabolic syndrome" and obesity, lifestyle modifications could be a cost-effective way to improve health and quality of life. Lifestyle modifications can assume especially great importance in individuals with serious mental illness.

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This is a website about Seratonin

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Key facts

Serotonin is a chemical messenger naturally found in the brain and around the body.

Serotonin is involved in controlling your mood, and low serotonin levels in the brain are thought to play a part in depression.

Many medicines that are used to treat mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression work by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.

Rarely, because of medicines or after taking drugs, you can have too much serotonin in your body - this can cause a condition called 'serotonin syndrome', which can be life threatening.

What is serotonin?

Serotonin is a chemical messenger that has some important jobs in the brain and around the body. It is involved in controlling your mood. Low serotonin levels in the brain are thought to contribute to depression.

Serotonin is made by the body's nerve cells from a protein called tryptophan.

Serotonin works throughout the body, but mainly in the intestines, brain and blood. It works by sending messages between different body cells.

What is the role of serotonin?

Serotonin has many different roles. It helps control the muscles and how you move, and it influences appetite and how your bowels work. It is used to push out food from your digestive system (gut) when you vomit or have diarrhoea. It also helps your blood to clot and wounds to heal, and is involved in inflammation.

Serotonin is also very important in the brain. Serotonin is one of the natural body chemicals that controls your mood. It works with melatonin to help control when you sleep and wake up, as well as how you feel pain, wellbeing and sexual desire.

Medicines that increase serotonin levels can help with:

What happens if I have too little serotonin?

Low levels of serotonin are related to many conditions including :

While recreational drugs can increase serotonin in the short term, over time they can reduce the levels of naturally occurring serotonin - this can lead to depression.

What happens if I have too much serotonin?

Having too much serotonin is usually due to medicines or drugs that increase the amount of serotonin in your body. The symptoms of having too much serotonin is known as serotonin poisoning or 'serotonin syndrome', and it can be life threatening.

Serotonin syndrome might happen after your dose has been increased, if you take too much (overdose), or if you take a combination of different medicines or drugs. It can also occur if you take antidepressant medicines along with some other prescription medicines, natural medicines or recreational drugs (such as ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamines). All of these can increase serotonin levels in the body and put you at risk of serotonin syndrome.

Serotonin symptoms usually go away around 2 to 3 days after you stop taking the medicines.

Serotonin syndrome can affect your brain, causing:

Serotonin syndrome can also affect your body, causing:

There are effects on your muscles:

stiff muscles

tremor

overactive muscle reflexes

Sometimes high levels of serotonin are a sign of other medical conditions. Your doctor can assess you to find the reason for your serotonin syndrome.

How can I adjust my serotonin levels?

There are ways to naturally increase serotonin levels in your body, through lifestyle measures such as by:

getting more exposure to outdoor sunlight

doing plenty of exercise

eating foods that contain a substance known as tryptophan (such as nuts, eggs, cheese, red meat, turkey, salmon, tofu and pineapple)

Most medicines that are used to treat depression work by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. They may also act on other chemical messenger pathways. Some examples include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

To search medicines by active ingredient or brand name, use the healthdirect Medicines search feature.

When should I see my doctor?

If you have signs or symptoms of too much or too little serotonin it is very important to see a doctor.

Serotonin syndrome (too much serotonin) is usually treated in hospital. It's important to always follow your doctor's instructions when taking antidepressants. You should never mix prescribed medicines with other medicines or illegal drugs. If you are taking medicines that are prescribed by more than one doctor, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Never stop taking antidepressant medicines without talking to your doctor first.

Resources and support

For more information and support visit one of these websites:

Headspace has a fact sheet on antidepressants (including those that work on serotonin) for young people, their family and friends.

Alcohol and Drug Foundation has resources on mental health, substance use and brain chemistry.

Parkinsons NSW has information on natural body hormones, and how they work.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Last reviewed: October 2023

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Serotonin is a chemical messenger that affects wellbeing and happiness. Many antidepressants increase serotonin levels in the brain.

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Thai videos will help us learn more things about our topic.