Athletes require sleep to function at an optimal level, but given the demands of athletic performance, rest and recovery are often jeopardized as athletes attempt to manage the physical demands and time pressures of a busy schedule. In this context, athletes often fail to obtain adequate sleep and become sleep deprived, leading to negative outcomes for athletic performance and overall health....
Why is physical activity so important if you have type 2 diabetes? Several studies show consistent PA can reduce the risk of the disease while also decreasing the risk of death and improving insulin resistance. Additionally, it serves as a mood booster, helps with weight loss, increases energy levels, can help with relaxation, and improves the quality of sleep....
The Female Athlete Triad--a trifecta of low energy availability, menstrual irregularities, and impaired bone health--has been well documented for the last 30 years, but there is growing evidence a similar syndrome in male athletes exists. A decline in athletic performance accompanied by low energy availability, low testosterone, and poor bone health constitutes the Male Athlete Triad (MAT)...
Approximately 463 million adults are living with diabetes worldwide. By 2045, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes is projected to be 700 million. In the U.S., 34.1 million adults have diabetes, with type 2 diabetes responsible for 90-95% of these cases. Type 2 diabetes is a serious illness, but it is preventable and can be managed through a combination of a healthy diet with physical activity....
Physical activity (PA) offers numerous physical and mental benefits that can enhance more than just your fitness....
Physically active youngsters seem to have an advantage when it comes to academic achievement. They retain more information in memory to process actions and decisions. They learn, focus and manage their impulses better than others. And regions of their brains critical to mental performance appear to be larger and to connect better with one another....
Children and adolescents move, play and engage in sports in lots of different ways. They skip rope, throw balls, jog alone or compete on teams against one another—all healthy ways to be active. In recent years, researchers have begun to explore whether some of these activities are more closely linked than others to specific health benefits over time....
Children exposed to adversity are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression and other health conditions when they become adults. As adults, their own children may be prone to similar difficulties. Experts exploring ways to break this cycle think that playing team sports may help adolescents build the resilience necessary to thwart these problems....
Sports, movement and play yield abundant benefits and can enhance the physical, mental and social health of children, today and long into the future. Just about any kind of activity is beneficial, from brisk walking, cycling or pickup games to after-school training and team sports...
Young athletes, parents and coaches frequently ask about safe ways to hydrate in the heat...