Mental Health and Sports
Here are 8 tips for supporting mental well-being in athletes.
August 27 2025
Sports can play an important role in good mental health. Physical activity can give your mood a boost when you are feeling low. It can also help you prevent and recover from mental illness. Sports offer the added benefit of building strong relationships with peers and coaches. Relationships with peers and caring adults also play an important role in mental health.
At the same time, sports can be a source of pressure and stress for athletes. A little stress and pressure can boost your focus and give you energy to play. But, when you feel stress too often during training or the stress doesn’t go away after the game, it’s hard on your mental health. Tryouts, mistakes, tough losses and injuries may become sources of unhealthy stress and anxiety. These challenges can also offer a good opportunity to build skills and mindsets that can help you manage stress and do your best on and off the field.
8 Tips for Good Mental Health in Sports
How can I support the mental health of my child in sports?
Check out some tips for coaches, parents and guardians to support athletes through BC Children’s Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre.
Learn more about stress
Everyone can experience stress from time to time, but continuing to feel stressed can get in the way of daily life. Check out this section to learn more about what leads to stress, how to manage and prevent it from affecting your mental and physical well-being.