The life of a professional athlete can often seem very glamorous with all of the recognition for their wins, as well as all of the fame and admiration from fans all across the globe. All that is just on the surface; there is much more to an athlete’s life, from their training regimens and specific diets to constant doctor appointments after injuries.

Professional athletes and their lifestyles are seen as fascinating and vary across many different sports. You may pick up a virtual guide to sports and see a smiling picture of your favorite basketball player – however, their lifestyle can be full of hardship and happiness. They might love being able to meet fans in public but hate having to avoid cameras when they are out and about.

Doing What You Love

Being a professional athlete allows you to have a career in your favorite sport – you can make a living doing what you love. This entices many people into taking sports further – it seems a lot more interesting than a regular 9-5 office job. 

As a professional athlete, you make your entire life your sport – from training sessions, watching on the sidelines, and possibly coaching a team as captain. You can fully delve into what you enjoy doing and surround yourself with other like-minded individuals. Sports are also very welcoming – it is all about being part of a team (even in single-performance sports such as gymnastics – you can still be representing a country). 

Being part of something can give your life meaning. Being part of something you love gives professional athletes a sense of fulfillment. You are also constantly surrounded by people who are the absolute best at what they do – you can learn to become even better at what you do from the best of the best!

Though this can come with a lot of pressure, many athletes may worry about living up to their previous performances. The stress of one wrong move can completely control a professional athlete – they want to be able to not only prove that they are good at what they do but that they should be where they are.

This can lead to intense training schedules that can sometimes lead to overworking oneself to the point of injury.

Fame, Recognition, and Support

Unsurprisingly, professional athletes are often very famous – you will see pictures of them everywhere you go! Fame can allow an athlete to feel a sense of accomplishment as they are known for participating in their sport and, most importantly, for their performance.

Being recognized everywhere you go comes with fame – for those a little shy, this may seem pretty scary. For professional athletes, being recognized becomes part of their everyday life. Sometimes, this can consist of supportive fans wanting to take a selfie with one of their heroes, but it can also lead to paparazzi swarming them when they are just trying to run errands. 

Professional athletes experience many hurdles; although they become well-known for their sport and are loved by many, the fame subjects them to a lack of privacy. This can also lead to them constantly worrying about their actions, and a sense of paranoia can build up. Some professional athletes do not let this bother them, as they want to seem strong in front of their fan base. 

Training and Health

Professional athletes are expected to be in excellent shape – they need to perform well during their games. Although some athletes may naturally be gifted, this will only get them so far. All professional athletes will work extremely hard to perfect their physique for their sport and will have a strict training schedule and diet.

This can vary significantly between athletes – a swimmer, for example, may want to stay on the slender side, whereas a weight lifter will want to fuel up on as much protein and carb as possible for energy. Unfortunately, this can lead to unhealthy mentalities around eating and weight.

Some boxers may stress out their bodies by over or under-eating to ensure they are in a particular weight class. 

Eating unhealthily is not the best option for someone who wants to stay fit. However, some professional athletes may suffer from disordered eating, restricting their food intake by taking calorie counting to an extreme.

This is an unfortunate thing that is seen in many professional athletes. However, not all athletes are like this. Many have a healthy relationship with food and may even find themselves gaining an interest in nutrition.

Do you ever feel like all the time and energy that goes into maintaining your body can be overwhelming and exhausting?

We live in a world where our bodies are constantly scrutinized and judged, making it difficult to care for ourselves without being affected by other people’s standards.

Fortunately, here are some tips to help you practice self-care and develop a healthy body image.

1. Take Care of Your Body

Taking care of your body is essential to self-care. This includes eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and engaging in activities that make you feel good.

It’s also important to remember that everyone has a different idea of what a healthy body looks like, so don’t compare yourself to others when it comes to your own physical health.

According to Christina Hendricks, it’s important to focus on the feelings you get from being active rather than how your body looks. Also, remember to be mindful of the self-talk you use when evaluating your body.

2. Engage in Positive Self Talk

We all have an inner dialogue. Pay attention to the way you talk to yourself and take steps to be more positive. Positive self-talk can help improve your mental health, increase your resilience to stress, and boost your confidence when it comes to body image.

Make a conscious effort to replace negative thoughts with constructive, kind words that recognize the unique strengths and gifts you possess. Talk kindly about yourself and try not to focus too much on physical appearance.

Instead, think of ways you’re making progress – both inside and outside – towards living a fulfilling life. Celebrate even small successes in order to build up your self-esteem. 

3. Unplug

The internet has given us access to an amazing wealth of information, but it can also be overwhelming and lead to feelings of comparison and anxiety. To foster a healthy body image, take regular breaks from social media and other online activities. Set limits for yourself on how often you check in with your favorite websites or apps. Taking time away from the online world will help you more easily stay focused on your own life, values, and relationships.

4. Seek Help When You Need It

It’s not always easy to reach out and ask for help, but it is essential if you want to make real and lasting changes in your life. If your body image issues seem overwhelming or have been affecting your life for a long time, consider talking to a mental health professional who can provide the guidance and support needed to develop healthier habits.

Talking with someone can also help you reframe negative thoughts about yourself and move toward self-acceptance. 

Having a healthy body image is an important part of self-care. It’s important to recognize that you are more than your physical appearance and to focus on the actions and activities that bring joy and fulfillment into your life.

Practicing self-care can help reduce stress and build resilience, so it’s important to take time for yourself and make sure that your own needs are met. With these tips in mind, you can start to develop a more positive attitude toward your body.

How long do you think you sleep each night? Eight hours? Perhaps more, perhaps less? The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is around seven to nine hours per night, but research shows that the average UK citizen doesn’t get anywhere near that much.

We’re struggling to make sure that we get as much sleep as possible, and some of that might be down to our lifestyles. Here are 10 tips to help you get better sleep, and in so doing, boost both your physical and mental health.

1. Practise self-care

When you take some time out for yourself each evening, you lower your body’s stress and anxiety levels. Focusing on yourself can have myriad tangible health benefits, so try to practice self-care each night before bed.

According to research carried out by the online casino platform Betway, applying a face mask before bed can increase your sleep quality significantly, as well as reduce the amount of time you spend awake each night.

2. Meditate

This is another practice that’s fairly easy to implement but that can have massively disproportionate effects on your health. If you just meditate for 30 minutes every night, you’ll almost certainly notice a big improvement in terms of how you’re sleeping and whether your sleep is easily disrupted.

Remember that meditation does involve removing distractions, so you can’t sneak a glance at your phone while you’re doing it. You might struggle at first, but after a while, you’ll get into the rhythm.

3. Try walking

While many forms of exercise might have a deleterious impact on your sleep health, walking has actually been shown to improve sleep quality.

Studies have shown that taking a short 20-minute walk every day, whether it’s in your lunch break or an hour or two before bed, can help you to reach the minimum recommended level of sleep if you’re struggling.

If you’re not currently incorporating exercise into your daily life, you might be surprised by just how easy it can be to do so.

4. Listen to music

Obviously, we’re not advocating listening to Metallica just before you sleep. Even if Metallica is your comfort band, metal music – and anything with an aggressive slant to it – could stop you from sleeping.

Rather, you should listen to calming ambient music, or something with a slower pace to it, before bed. Try not to listen to music with lyrics if you can help it; your brain might try to focus on those lyrics, and the last thing you want before bed is your brain working too hard.

5. Try a soundscape

Soundscapes can help your brain to tune out sounds of varying levels and lengths, leading it to concentrate instead on a single sound with a consistent volume. You might, for instance, choose to listen to rain falling on a street at night, or perhaps to the sounds of the rainforest.

Sudden sounds can wake you up as you’re falling asleep or can prevent you from going to sleep in the first place, so downloading a white noise app can help to counteract those sounds.

6. Clean your room

Spending just a little time cleaning your room before bed can be surprisingly impactful when it comes to your sleep quality. When your room is free of clutter, it helps your mind to relax; the state of your brain mirrors the state of your room, so when your room is empty, so is your mind.

Conversely, if your room is cluttered and untidy, this can unduly stress you out. Before you sleep, make sure everything is in its right place. Your brain will thank you for it.

7. Open a window

If you sleep with the windows closed, you might find that it’s harder to achieve the recommended seven to nine hours. This is because you’re not getting adequate ventilation; when your room is stuffy and the air quality is poor, your body will suffer as a result.

Opening a window means you’ll be breathing fresh air, which in turn leads to better sleep. On the other hand, opening a window can also open you up to potential allergens, so if you suffer from allergies, it may be better to keep windows closed.

8. Eat long before bed

Try not to eat big meals just before you go to sleep. If your body is still digesting food when you’re settling down to go to bed, then you probably won’t get the kind of sleep you want; you may be uncomfortable, and you’ll also need to put yourself in a position where your body won’t be digesting food as efficiently as it should. As such, you should try to eat a good few hours before bed, and if you can fit a walk in just after you eat, that’s a good idea as well.

9. Set yourself consistent sleep times

It’s not a good idea to just let your head hit the pillow whenever it may. Try to set a consistent sleep routine and schedule. This will have positive effects for your sleep cycle because it will send a consistent, repetitive signal to your body for bedtime.

If your body “knows” when bedtime is, then the processes that begin when your body is winding down should start more consistently, which should also lead to better-quality sleep for you.

10. Keep your bedroom dark

It might sound obvious, but if you let a lot of harsh light sources into your room before you sleep, this can have negative effects on your sleep quality. Try to make sure your room is as dark as possible before bed.

Leaving windows lightly covered by curtains or drapes is OK; you’ll wake up with natural light, which is healthier than setting the alarm (as long as your schedule allows for it, of course). In any case, try not to sleep with the lights on.