8 Top Tips for Good Athlete Mental Health

By Cath Shearer, Senior Psychologist and Strategic Lead Systems Development at Sport Wales


As well as an increasing interest in mental health across society, there is also an increasing interest in the mental health of elite athletes.

As such, the number of elite athletes talking more openly about existing or pre-existing mental health experiences has increased. What’s more, sports are considering how they create environments where athletes, and just as importantly, other coaches and staff, can thrive.

The World Health Organisation (2014) has defined mental health as a state of well being in which an individual realises their own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to their community.

If you put this into the context of an athlete … an athlete who has a state of wellbeing would:

Weightlifters Hannah Powell and Gareth Evans 

• potentially demonstrate being confident about what they are aiming for, 
• handle any pressures that they perceive in their environment, 
• be creative around how they fit in all the demands they are under
• be aware of themselves as an individual and how they fit into their wider community.

Mental health is dynamic. 

It goes up and down. Sometimes we can manage it really well, other times we are less able to manage it. 

Athletes can choose to thrive by actively engaging in some of the top tips below:

1. Remember that you are not just an athlete or a coach, you are a person first. Consider what makes you happy outside of sport, recognise that, and celebrate your contribution to it.
2. Regularly reflect on what your choices are and what decisions you are making. If you aren’t happy with these, what can you do about it?
3. There are many uncertainties in sport, but there will be elements of your environment that you can control, so choose to be aware of them and control the things you are able to! 
4. Connect to other people in and outside of your sport environment. Have non sport conversations or connect with people from another sport to share learning and experiences.
5. Make sure you recover mentally from your training and competition by engaging in activities such as mindfulness, getting some fresh air, or just reading a good book.
6. Know what your warning signs are so that you can respond to your needs
7. Sleep well, eat well. Look after your body, this is your armour! 
8. Have a ‘buddy’ that you can talk to about your mental health. The power of someone really listening to you is incredible. 

Athletes and coaches are encouraged to get involved with the campaign by sharing experiences and using the hashtag #ThrivingAthlete