Free Content Bundle: School

Sport can be an emotional rollercoaster, and if we're not careful, mental health struggles can set in. Here, we look at some of the causes and strategies that can help. We all want to feel happy, right? But there are just so many things that can affect our mood, some of which we have control over and others we don't. Finding ways to manage these to allow us to ride the inevitable storms and protect our well-being should be our priority. As an athlete, you'll probably feel you're on an emotional rollercoaster... one minute, you're improving or, better still, winning and on a high; the next, you're in the pits of gloom, wondering why performances aren't going to plan with improvement feeling impossible. Welcome to the athlete's world!!      Recent media stories about high-profile sportspeople like Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and Tottenham Hotspurs' Richarlison, just three of the many, have brought much-needed attention and demonstrated that every athlete, at every level, and from every sport, is at risk.  So, why is this? One crucial contributing factor is that athletes face many demands. As a school student-athlete, you're no different. You face school, social, life and sports pressures that can all become challenging. At times, it can all feel too much, and if the resulting stress is left unaddressed, it can lead to conditions like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and burnout.   But it doesn't have to be this way. There are so many things we can do to protect ourselves, and that can help if we're already struggling. By far, the most important thing to know is that you're not alone. Other athletes have been there, they understand, and they want to help. We're all in this together as fellow sportspeople, and we look out for each other, OUR TRIBE. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.     You're Not Alone It can be tempting to think you're the only one struggling, but this is not true. The chances are several of your friends or training partners will also be struggling, often in silence and feeling alone... the whole 'me too' thing regarding mental health in sports is huge, but until you speak out, you won't be able to tap into the support that is out there. The reluctance to divulge struggles internalises your problems and can make the road to recovery a more difficult and lonely one.    Keeping Your Worries In Check Every day brings us all something new to worry about; that's just part of being human, but when these worries start to roll out of control, we can find ourselves struggling. Keeping these thoughts and feelings in check and, importantly, in perspective sounds so simplistic but, in real terms, can feel challenging and, at times, impossible... should we really be losing sleep over one not-so-great performance? No, no, we should not. We're human. These things happen. It's all part of being an athlete. But try telling your mind that when you're going through a tough patch!!       Athletes Need Good Wellbeing  Identifying potential and actual struggles is crucial because good wellbeing is the key to: Balancing everything in life. Being motivated. Enjoying your training, which will increase your chances of reaching your performance goals.  BEING HAPPY.   Identifying Problems It is important to first identify the root cause of your struggles. This can allow you to work out the micro steps needed to address it. By acknowledging that sometimes multiple factors may be at play, such as problems at home, challenges with friends and relationships, and school pressures, prioritising and addressing one issue at a time may help resolve related problems.    Take a Step Back When our mental health starts to slip, we can struggle to keep things in perspective. Taking a step back to view worries more objectively can help. Imagine your best mate is the one struggling with the exact same issues... What would you say to him/her? What advice would you give? What observations would you make? This exercise helps you see your problems from outside of you. Importantly, it can help you notice the unkind, unfair, and outright untrue things you think about yourself, delivered by that seriously unhelpful inner voice. Unhelpful Thoughts Understand that thoughts are just thoughts... they are not facts! Keeping unhelpful ones at bay is undoubtedly the most important task for anyone wanting to be happy, whether they're an athlete or not. But how you do this will be personal; in other words, a strategy that works for another person might not work for you. Finding what feels helpful is your challenge, but see this as an investment because it will go on to help you in every area of life going forward. If you're struggling with unhelpful thoughts about yourself, your ability, etc., try asking yourself, "But where's the evidence?" This can often allow you to spot obvious and unhelpful untruths.  I can't do ..., I'm no good, he/she's better than me, the list of insults we use against ourselves can seem endless, but if you take the time to strip them back to basics, you invariably find them unfounded and utter rubbish. Challenging the relevance of these beliefs removes their power and calls them out for what they ultimately are: unhelpful, untrue, pointless statements.      Speaking Out Athletes are often hesitant to seek support because of a sports culture that prioritises physical strength and resilience over mental well-being. You may fear appearing 'weak', especially to other athletes, as image and ego are all part of competitive sports. This particular aspect can be a significant concern if you feel you risk non-selection if others think of you as 'mentally vulnerable'...   But, acknowledging to others that you're struggling is anything but 'weak' and should instead be seen as a sign of strength because speaking out requires guts.  Our generation 'gets' mental health struggles, and we also understand that we are all vulnerable, so it's important to remember that your friends and training partners will want to help... just as you'd want to help them if they were in your shoes. Reaching out will allow this. Starting the conversation will be the hardest part, but once that's done, it'll feel easier knowing someone's got your back. Feel proud that you have taken the first and most important proactive step to overcoming the cause.   Breaking the Stigma The best way for us all to help is by making conversations about wellbeing a normal part of daily chat. The more normal it becomes, the less awkward it will feel and the happier we'll ALL become. Ultimately, it’s down to all of us to break the stigma of mental ill-health and promote mental health awareness as an integral part of a compassionate society.   The Not-Good Enough Narrative We're just putting this one out there because it's such a common issue for those involved in competitive sports, and most athletes will have been affected by it at some point in their lives.  As soon as we understand that we all develop, mature, and ultimately progress at our own individual rates, the quicker we can put our performances into perspective. Listen, one of your main rivals might currently be better than you, but who's to say his/her next performance plateau or dip isn't just around the corner, and your next peak is about to kick in? See our lesson on Different Progression Rates. Getting caught up in the whole 'not good enough' narrative can seriously impact your wellbeing. If you're turning up at training (physically and mentally), putting in the work, and trying your hardest... You Are Good Enough. You're as good as you can be at this point in your progression. But let's face it: social media does not help...   Restricting social media Our generation has a lot to deal with, issues that previous generations haven't faced and don't understand, like social media. This has impacted our lives in ways our parents will find impossible to comprehend. If you're struggling, you can feel worse by seeing other people's 'highlight reels'. Remember, very few will share their failures or imperfections... just the perfect stuff they're proud of to boost their own ego, intentionally or otherwise. You're literally seeing an unrealistic account of that person's life, which, when you're feeling down about yourself or your own life, just amplifies those negative thoughts. This quote sums it all up:   "Comparison is the thief of joy."   As social media is the norm for us, we know no different, and sometimes, we're blind to the problems it might be causing us. Think about it: everything we do, how we look, etc., is all out there being 'judged' by others—or we're the ones judging.    We can't control what other people think, say, or do, BUT we can control our own exposure to this stuff.   We choose to click on that app, and we choose the information we share.  Making a conscious decision to reduce social media in your life could make a profound difference to your wellbeing. It will involve breaking ingrained habits and probably won't be easy, but it will empower you when you realise you're taking control rather than being blindly led. In the video below, U23 10K European Champion Rory Leonard discusses his approach to social media and protecting his mental health.     Mindfulness This coping strategy might sound a bit woo-woo, but there's plenty of evidence to suggest it works... MRI scans don't lie! Many of your athlete role models already use it as a mindset tool. In fact, FIFA announced Calm as the 'Official Mindfulness and Meditation Product' for the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Women's World Cup. The IOC has also supported its Olympic athletes through the Headspace app. If the pros use it, why on earth wouldn't you? There is more on this subject in our coping strategies lesson under Mindset.   NOTE: Whilst coping strategies can be helpful, there may be scenarios where wellbeing improvement cannot be achieved without the help of someone experienced in these matters. In these situations, it is essential you seek the help of a qualified mental health professional. Your GP will be a good starting point.     When Others Are Struggling Recognising when another athlete might be struggling is all part of being a tight community. Signs to look out for: Neglecting self-care. Seeming unable to prioritise the important things in their life. Becoming withdrawn, avoiding or making excuses to avoid social interactions. Showing reduced enjoyment in what they would normally enjoy, e.g. training.   Addressing any mental health concerns an athlete may have, relating not only to their sport but all areas of life, will be essential. Remember, other things may be going on behind the scenes that are the underlying problem, e.g., family life, friendship issues, academic worries, etc. Talking about feelings and difficulties needs to become ‘normal’. Making them part of your sport-related chat with training partners, for example, will make these potentially difficult/awkward conversations easier. Communication is key and is only made possible by those around them providing a supportive environment where they feel comfortable discussing these concerns and asking for help. You can do this by: Make it clear that you are there for them, with no strings attached. Regular messages checking in is a good strategy. Make it easy for them to offload worries. Simply asking, "Are you OK?" is not enough. Be aware that "I'm fine" might be their default answer to avoid awkwardness. In other words, you may need to find ways to dig deeper.    A 'walk-and-talk' strategy where there is no direct eye contact, can help to make these awkward conversations easier for them. Important: Sometimes, the ones struggling are the ones you'd think least likely, i.e., the ones who can put on that brave face or have a hard exterior. They will be very good at hiding the fact that they are struggling to cope. This video campaign is perhaps one of the most powerful at highlighting this...    Active Listening Your most important job is to simply listen. You may not feel their worries are warranted, but remember, to them, their problems will be real… VERY real. Allow them to feel they can say what they need to say in your company and to know that you are actually listening. There can be a temptation to interject with your own experiences... try hard not to do this. To the person struggling, this can sometimes feel like an attempt to divert the conversation and/or to make their struggles seem less serious. Make them feel like the centre of your attention... that they are being heard. This will mean a lot and will encourage them to confide in you in the future.   Note: Never assume ‘they’ll be fine’ and/or underestimate the significance and severity of someone else's struggles.  If you are at all worried about them and especially if their struggles seem to be escalating, always suggest they reach out for professional help. We have included some useful links below.    Take Home Points If You Are Struggling Acknowledging to yourself that you're struggling is the first step.  Letting others know you're struggling comes next... and this is an essential part of the process.  Talk to someone... confide in a trusted friend, family member, or health professional, e.g., your GP. Share your struggles. 'A problem shared is a problem halved' as the saying goes :) Taking a step back to gain perspective. Identify the cause of your struggles and the micro steps needed to address it. Remember, your friends will always want to be there for you     Being There For Others Normalise conversations about feelings and difficulties within your training and friendship groups.   Be on the lookout for signs of stress, anxiety, or burnout in fellow athletes. Sometimes the ones that are struggling are the ones you'd think least likely, ie. the ones that can put on that brave face/have a hard exterior. Some will hide the fact that they are struggling. Look out for the signs. A 'walk-and-talk' strategy where there is no direct eye contact, can make conversations easier. Your job is to simply LISTEN.  Remember, to them their worries will be real… VERY real. If you are at all worried about them and especially if their struggles seem to be escalating, always suggest they reach out for professional help. We have included some useful links below.  Note: Never assume someone is  'fine’ and/or underestimate the significance and severity of their struggles. If not addressed, mental health concerns can escalate and must ALWAYS be taken seriously. IMPORTANT:  ALWAYS seek professional advice from an accredited healthcare provider if mental health concerns escalate.    *DISCLAIMER: This content is for guidance only. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, we recommend you/they seek help from an accredited health professional.   Resources Sporting Wellness.org Mind Samaritans.org Evidence-Based Research Our content is supported by: Haraldsdottir, K. and Watson, A.M., 2021. Psychosocial impacts of sports-related injuries in adolescent athletes. Current sports medicine reports, 20(2), pp.104-108. (View Paper) Rice, S.M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P.D. and Parker, A.G., 2016. The mental health of elite athletes: A narrative systematic review. Sports medicine, 46, pp.1333-1353. (View Paper)

Here, we discuss sport-related self-confidence issues and what you can do to address them. Self-confidence refers to your belief that you can achieve a desired outcome. It can affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, which can influence performance. In other words, it can impact you both mentally and physically. Sports research consistently finds a correlation between self-confidence and successful athletic performance. Therefore, boosting self-confidence should be a top priority. Where Does it Come From? Self-confidence can come from many different sources, and what works for one athlete may not work for another. For example: An athlete who struggles with body image or social anxiety might benefit from wearing a kit that makes them feel good about themselves. In contrast, an athlete who is already confident in those areas may not care what they wear. Additionally, an athlete who lacks confidence in their abilities may benefit from participating in a lower-level competition that will help them build their skills and confidence rather than jumping into a more advanced competition and feeling overwhelmed.   Your Support Network Having a solid support network is key to building your confidence. Whether it’s your parents, coach, or friends, having people who believe in you and encourage you can make a huge difference. They can push you to be your best, celebrate your successes, and help you bounce back from setbacks. However, it’s important to find the right balance. If your parents or coach are too overbearing, it can actually do the opposite and make you feel less confident. If they put you under too much pressure or constantly tell you what to do, it can make you doubt yourself or feel like you’re not in control. That’s why figuring out what kind of support works best for you is important. Do you need someone to give you space, or do you thrive with regular feedback? Once you understand your needs, communicate them to your support network. Remember, your parents and coaches will be wanting to help you. They might not realise that how they are supporting you is affecting your confidence. Let them know how they can best help you—whether it’s giving you encouragement, offering advice when needed, or just simply being there for you. Remember, confidence grows from within, but having a strong support network will make boosting it a lot easier.  Benefits of Self-Confidence  Self-confidence can be a game-changer for athletes. When you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to push your limits, try new skills, and take on challenges without fear. It gives you the mental edge to stay calm under pressure, focus on what you’re doing, and perform your best. It also makes you more likely to enjoy your sport because you’re less worried about making mistakes. That enjoyment fuels your passion and helps you keep working toward your goals. Everyone has tough days, but when you're confident, you're more likely to see failures as opportunities to learn and grow rather than something to be afraid of. This makes you more resilient, independent, and motivated to keep improving. Self-confidence doesn’t just help you in sports; it’s something that carries over into other areas of your life, like school and friendships. So, working on your sports confidence can help you become more confident socially... win-win.   Tips for Building Confidence Set small, achievable goals. Instead of focusing on huge, overwhelming targets, break them down into steps you can easily work toward. Every time you hit one of those goals, it gives you a confidence boost and proves you’re making progress. Practice positive self-talk. It sounds simple, but how you speak to yourself really matters. Instead of focusing on mistakes or what didn’t go well, remind yourself of your strengths and how far you’ve come. Replace negative thoughts with things like, "I’ve got this" or "I’m improving every day." Focus on your preparation. When you know you’ve trained hard, eaten well, and rested properly, you’ll naturally feel more confident in your abilities because you know you’ve done the work. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Whether it’s teammates, coaches, or friends, having positive influences around can help boost your self-esteem. They can remind you of your progress and encourage you when you need it most. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Confidence isn’t about being perfect. It’s about knowing that you can handle whatever comes your way, even if things don’t go perfectly. Learn from your mistakes and use them as opportunities to get better. Over time, these habits will help you build strong self-confidence that lasts both in and out of sport. Keep believing in yourself!   Take Home Points Set achievable, realistic goals to provide regular ‘wins’ that will boost your confidence and reinforce motivation. Focus on the positives from every performance (there will always be some!). Remember, building self-confidence is a journey that requires time and patience. Embrace challenges and learn from your failures. Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process and should be seen as valuable opportunities for growth and confidence building.   Evidence-Based Research  Our content is supported by: Feltz, D.L., 2007. Self-confidence and sports performance. studies, 33(41), pp.50-66. (View Paper) Fu, D., Hase, A., Goolamallee, M., Godwin, G. and Freeman, P., 2021. The effects of support (in) adequacy on self-confidence and performance: Two experimental studies. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 10(1), p.15. (View Paper)

  Focus on physical recovery becomes increasingly important as your commitment to training and competitions increases, and post-training nutrition plays an essential role. As you start to take your sport more seriously, focusing on physical recovery will become increasingly important. Your body needs the correct nutrients to recover and maximise workouts. The proper post-training nutrition will help maximise the benefits of each session by: Replenishing glycogen stores. Repairing muscles. Building muscles to help growth and improvement. Eating carbs and protein after training will help you recover more effectively and become stronger. Good post-training nutrition will also prevent you from becoming ‘run-down’ and, as a result, will help maintain a healthy immune system. Taking care of your nutrition after training is one of the smartest things you can do to perform at your best and reach your full potential. Popular post-training snacks Chocolate milk. Peanut butter (perhaps also with honey and banana) sandwiches. Cheese sandwiches. pasta with chicken/tuna/ cheese/tofu. Granola bars. Post-training nutrition is best provided as real nutritional food. You don’t need protein powders/other supplements... Read our Supplements: The Risks lesson for further reasons why.   Timing Many experts are currently questioning the age-old advice to eat a snack containing protein 'within 30 minutes of exercise' to maximise muscle repair, growth, and recovery. Until definitive advice is available, there is a lot to be said for continuing this habit. It will help replenish energy, and you'll probably be ravenous anyway—and being a ‘hangry athlete’ is never fun for anyone... Significantly, eating a sufficient post-training snack will reduce the likelihood of you snacking on unhealthy foods that won’t aid recovery. It will also mean you won’t arrive home and consume all the contents of your fridge out of desperation before mealtime. The Four 'R's The four ‘R’s can help you grasp the basics: Replenish - replace the carb stores, i.e. glycogen, that the body used as energy. Eating a snack immediately after training, e.g. chocolate milk and a sandwich for the journey home, will ‘fill the gap’ before your next meal and will aid the recovery process. A meal with healthy carbs, protein, fats, and colourful vegetables and fruits will help replenish energy reserves. Repair - protein helps to repair the micro-tears that occur in muscles during training, making them stronger. Post-training snacks and meals that contain protein will help recovery and muscle repair. Rehydrate - replace the fluid that has been lost. This can be often overlooked but is essential. Keep sipping. Rest - allow the body to recover from the exertion. Rehydration Rehydration after training is essential for a good recovery, so it's important you drink plenty of water to replace what was lost during exercise. As feeling thirsty is thought to be a sign the body is already feeling dehydrated, taking regular sips of water before, during, and after a training session will keep your fluid levels topped up... this is a very good habit to adopt. Post-training headaches and fatigue can be signs you've not drunk enough. The colour of your urine is a good way of checking whether you're drinking enough - the darker the colour, the more dehydrated you are. The optimal colour will be a pale yellow. See our hydration lesson for more detailed information. This is the exact graphic that Loughborough Sport uses for its elite athletes   Take Home Points Top athletes prioritise post-training nutrition. Get organised. Take protein and carb snacks to eat straight after training. Cereal before bedtime is a helpful way to pack in a few more carbs and protein to regain your energy reserves.  Prioritise rehydration. Water should be your go-to drink. *DISCLAIMER: This content is for guidance only. If you require more in-depth nutritional support, we recommend you seek help from a registered dietitian specialising in sports nutrition.   Evidence-Based Research Our content is supported by: Atan, S.A. and Kassim, M., 2019. Young football players are not miniature adults; Do young athletes need sports drinks?: A review of literature. ASM Science Journal, 12, pp.1-12. (View Paper) Casa, D.J., Cheuvront, S.N., Galloway, S.D. and Shirreffs, S.M., 2019. Fluid needs for training, competition, and recovery in track-and-field athletes. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 29(2), pp.175-180. (View Paper) Kavouras, S.A., Johnson, E.C., Bougatsas, D., Arnaoutis, G., Panagiotakos, D.B., Perrier, E. and Klein, A., 2016. Validation of a urine color scale for assessment of urine osmolality in healthy children. European journal of nutrition, 55, pp.907-915. (View Paper) Schneider, M.B., Benjamin, H.J. and Committee on Nutrition and the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2011. Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate?. Pediatrics, 127(6), pp.1182-1189. (View Paper)

  Learn how the menstrual cycle can impact performance and some tips to help. The effects of menstruation on females in sports are finally being acknowledged. Thankfully, this is also now being talked about. In 2020, the BBC’s Elite British Sportswomen’s survey found that 60% of athletes considered their athletic performance to be impacted by their periods. More recently, research has found that 100% of sampled athletes report performance decrements during menstruation. Athletes have also spoken out in the media, using their platform to highlight the difficulties of training and competing through unsupported menstruation. For example, Dina Asher-Smith discussed how she was unable to retain her 100m European Championship title in 2022 because of calf cramps caused by her period. Now, this isn’t to say that performance is doomed in the face of menstruation – Paula Ratcliffe broke the marathon world record in 2002 on day 1 of her period! But what this does show is that menstruation is a key factor in athletic performance and wellbeing. Don’t be phased by the phases It’s a very common experience going into the gym one week and smashing through the programme, and then coming in the next week and your warmup weights feel like your final set. Fluctuations in things like performance, appetite, weight, and mood can be really frustrating and often feel like they’re coming out of nowhere. While the primary role of oestrogen and progesterone is concerned with the reproductive system, the changing levels of these hormones throughout the menstrual cycle can impact multiple systems in the body, such as the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. This means fluctuating levels of oestrogen and progesterone are often behind these changes. By learning how they work, things can stop seeming to come out of nowhere, and you can use them to your advantage.      The Follicular Phase With the move into the late follicular phase after menstruation comes an increase in oestrogen levels in the body. Oestrogen is often called a feel-good hormone because as levels of oestrogen increase, so do the levels of serotonin. Increased levels of these feel-good hormones can lead to improvements in confidence, mood, wellbeing, and motivation to train. Physiologically, high levels of oestrogen can also lead to greater protection from muscle damage, reduced inflammation, and quicker recovery. This often results in a greater capacity to carry out high-intensity training and can be why you might suddenly increase your performance or energy levels after your period. The Luteal Phase As the menstrual cycle moves into the luteal phase after ovulation, levels of oestrogen and serotonin decrease, and progesterone levels rise. This can lead to mood changes due to this reduction in feel-good hormones. Progesterone is a catabolic hormone which means it breaks down muscle and makes it harder for athletes to build muscle and strength during this stage. High-intensity training can also be more difficult during this phase, as the body is less able to metabolise carbohydrates as fuel and instead favours fats as a source of energy. During the luteal phase, body core temperature can rise by half a degree, which can lead to athletes feeling hotter during exercise. With reduced serotonin comes increased brain fog and reduced spatial awareness that can negatively impact athletes’ coordination. On the flip side, progesterone can also lead to lower levels of anxiety and better sleep, so you may experience better recovery during this phase.  Menstruation, injury, and recovery While oestrogen can positively influence our mood, motivation, and training intensity, it also plays a key role in influencing injury risk throughout the menstrual cycle. While research is limited, studies describe how oestrogen can interfere with joint collagen and create joint laxity, such as joint looseness. Ultimately, this means that during the follicular phase, when oestrogen levels are at their highest, joints can be looser, less stable, and, therefore, more susceptible to injury.    Research: The current state of play At the moment, we’re still playing catch-up in terms of research into menstruation and sports performance. Research findings are currently pretty limited and sometimes mixed. Some performance measures, such as joint laxity and injury risk, have been reported as impacted by the menstrual cycle, while other measures, such as VO2 max, strength, and power, don’t seem to change significantly. However, research looking into experiences and perceptions of menstruation in sport has found that both athletes and support staff report performance impacts throughout the menstrual cycle. This suggests that while an athlete may have the same physical capacity to perform, the symptoms of hormonal changes, such as severe pain and reduced spatial awareness, can influence athletes’ capability to fulfil this capacity.  What You Can Do While tracking your cycle, start to track how you’re thinking and feeling. For example, note down what days you feel you have lots of energy vs the days you don’t, when you start feeling pain, whether you get food cravings, and whether your sleep patterns change. By beginning to pay attention to our bodies, we can start to map out how our body reacts to its own individual cycle. For example, you may notice that every time you’re on your period, you have very heavy bleeding and can feel faint during training, or at a specific time point every month, you experience niggles in an old shoulder injury. Once you have a better understanding of any physical and psychological changes that occur throughout the cycle, you can start to pre-empt them and put strategies in place to manage them. You can use the expertise of your support team or the experts from The Athlete Place to help you do this. If we take the previous example of heavy menstrual bleeding to feel faint, you could discuss this with your nutritionist and see how you could get more iron into your diet during the menstrual phase to support you through these experiences. Take Home Points Peaks in oestrogen lead to increased motivation, confidence, and physical capabilities and can influence injury susceptibility. Peaks in progesterone can impact mood, metabolism, coordination and sleep. Research is still trying to understand the impact of the menstrual cycle on physical and mental performance. To create this content, The Athlete Place has teamed up with... Emma Quinn BSc, MSc, PhD (ongoing) Hello! My name is Emma, and I’m a doctoral researcher in menstruation. Following my experiences of battling difficult menstruation and the performance expectations of competitive sport, I developed an interest in the topic of menstruation in sport. During my BSc and MSc in sport psychology I researched athletes’ experiences of menstruating in the culture of elite sport, and IDT practitioners’ experiences of menstrual support provision. Alongside my PhD that focuses on menstruation, mental health, and stigma, I work with support staff and athletes to improve awareness and understanding of the menstrual cycle and develop discussions about menstrual support in sport. If you’ve had difficult experiences of menstruation in sport, want to learn more, or have any questions please reach out and we can start a conversation.   Chat with Emma Evidence-Based Research  Brown, N., Knight, C. J., & Forrest, L. J. (2021). Elite female athletes’ experiences and perceptions of the menstrual cycle on training and sport performance. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31(1), 52-69. (View Paper) Herzberg, S. D., Motu’apuaka, M. L., Lambert, W., Fu, R., Brady, J., & Guise, J.M. (2017). The effect of menstrual cycle and contraceptives on ACL injuries and laxity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 5(7), 232596711771878. https://doi.org/10.1177/2325967117718781 (View Paper) McNulty, K. L., Elliott-Sale, K. J., Dolan, E., Swinton, P. A., Ansdell, P., Goodall, S., Thomas, K., & Hicks, K. M. (2020). The effects of menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance in eumenorrheic women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 50(10), 1813–1827. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01319-3 (View Paper)

 Wearables: Are they helpful or just another source of stress? We discuss the pros and cons. A lot of smartwatches or wearable devices now offer sleep tracking as a product feature. These primarily work by using accelerometers to track movement (which is very low during sleep) that are run through an algorithm to estimate whether you are asleep or awake. These devices actually compare reasonably well with research assessment tools at estimating bedtime and wake-up time and how long you have slept. But, because they tend to miss short awakenings overnight, they may overestimate sleep duration. They are also not very good at determining what stage of sleep (e.g., deep sleep, REM sleep) we are in. We would ignore these and any ‘recovery score' they provide. Use your own intuition to guide your sleep, and focus on how you feel. Don't let your life be governed by a fictitious number on a screen. If you do decide to use wearables, use them as a long-term monitoring tool that you can reflect on once or twice a month rather than every night. Nightly use can result in paranoia and anxiousness, leading to orthodontia, where we can over-fixate on the results it provides and become even more stressed when things aren’t perfect. They never will be. Everyone has bad nights of sleep! We can still track our sleep without wearables or electronic recording. I would recommend noting down in your training diary or making a spreadsheet for: 1. What time you went to bed 2. What time you woke up 3. How you are feeling today This will provide plenty of information to examine long-term trends and determine whether adjustments to your typical sleep schedule are needed. Take Home Points Wearables can do a decent enough job of recording bedtime, wake time, and duration. They are not so good at recording much else when it comes to sleep. Use wearable devices and statistics at your own risk. Track your sleep by how you actually feel and by noting this down in a training diary. If you or someone you know needs sleep support, contact Sandy, who created this content and is happy to help. Chat with Sandy Evidence-Based Research Miller, D.J., Sargent, C. and Roach, G.D. (2022) ‘A validation of six wearable devices for estimating sleep, heart rate and heart rate variability in healthy adults’, Sensors, 22(16), p. 6317. doi:10.3390/s22166317. (View Paper) Baron, K.G. et al. (2017) ‘Orthosomnia: Are some patients taking the Quantified Self Too Far?’, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(02), pp. 351–354. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6472. (View Paper)

University can be game-changing for athletes, but it's not right for everyone. We highlight some of the pros and cons. While college or university can offer valuable educational opportunities, sports development and career prospects, it may not be the best path for every athlete. For many, it can be a truly life-changing experience, an opportunity to gain independence, achieve useful qualifications and transferable skills, and meet friends for life whilst also continuing to pursue sport. There's also no doubt it can open doors to many career paths in and beyond sports and provide valuable personal development. It can also be a massive amount of fun, too! The decision to go to college or university should be a personal one that considers you as a person and your own individual circumstances and goals. Weighing up the pros and cons can help you decide if it's the right path for you.     The Pros Universities and colleges offer great opportunities to continue your education while still pursuing your sport. There's no doubt that pushing yourself to improve as an athlete while also getting a degree is an absolute win-win.  The choice of courses available is huge so there'll almost certainly be something for you. Choosing one that really interests you and also opens up possibilities for an exciting career will give you a purpose and something positive to focus on away from your sport.  Socially, well, what can we say other than these can be the best 3+ years of your life! You’ll be surrounded by other like-minded students many of which will also be balancing sport and studies, so they'll be in the same boat as you! Without a doubt, you'll make many 'friends for life'.  The sports programmes on offer can include high-level competition, professional coaching, and state-of-the-art facilities. Plus, the connections you make with coaches, teammates, and staff could benefit your sporting career in the long run. These, combined with the fact you'll be competing against and training alongside other talented athletes, provide the potential for real improvement. University and college also provide opportunities to develop life skills like independence, self-discipline, time management and the ability to juggle commitments, all of which will help you in life and sports. The Cons On the downside, balancing university-level studies with your sport can be tough. The workload can be intense. Compared to school, the new workload will come as a shock, whilst coursework deadlines introduce a higher degree of pressure. It can, at times, all seem like a big step up. Time management will become really important, and some athletes struggle to find the right balance. There’s also the financial side to consider. Higher-level athletes may be eligible for scholarships or other types of financial assistance, but these are sadly limited within the UK. You'll have to survive on a student loan, which, even with scholarships, can be a struggle. Plus, the loan will need to be paid back further down the line, although this doesn't happen until your earnings reach a certain threshold.  If your sport is your main focus, you might wonder if it’s worth the investment, but remember, many things can happen to derail careers in sport... and then what? Maybe a degree isn't such a bad idea after all...   Seeking Guidance Seeking advice from coaches, mentors, and school career advisors will be a good move. They can provide insights into the various paths available to you. Chatting with older athletes about their experiences can also be helpful, as they can provide relatable information about combining further education and sport. The decision to go to college or university should be yours. Remember, there are other options that might be more beneficial for you. Open Days Even if you're adamant college/university is not for you, attending an open day is 100% a good idea. Being there in person will allow you to see what's on offer and give you a feel for student life. It's common to bump into other athletes/friends you compete against who are also there to weigh up the pros and cons. This can lead to conversations, and before you know it, you've changed your mind, and you're off to uni...     Networking  College and university environments provide so much scope for networking within the sports industry and beyond. Building relationships with coaches, fellow athletes, alumni, and professionals can open doors for internships, mentorship, and future career prospects, which can often lead to game-changing opportunities. Without a doubt, the #1 piece of advice we'd give to student-athletes is to network as much as you can. You never know who knows who or who might be able to help you.  Personal Growth College/university life offers a unique opportunity for personal growth, independence, and self-discovery. You'll develop life skills, including time management and responsibility (who'd have thought), resilience, and so much more. But, at the end of the day, it's not for everyone, and the decision to go is a personal one.  Take Home Points College or university can offer you valuable opportunities for sport development as well as education and improved career prospects. It can also open doors to many career paths in and beyond sports and provide valuable personal development. For some, it can be a truly life-changing experience and can be a huge amount of fun, too! There are both pros and cons, so this will be a decision based on you as a person and your circumstances. We 100% recommend you go to a couple of open days... even if you think it's not for you.