Mental well-being is often overlooked in favor of performance, but it’s important to remember that mental health affects everyone, regardless of their circumstances, talents, and athletic achievements.
In a recent Sports RX Network podcast, host Brandon Welch, PharmD., sat down with Julius Thomas, a cognitive scientist, retired NFL football player, and founder of Optimal Performance, a peak performance company dedicated to helping high-performance individuals improve their mental well-being. Together, they share insights on cultivating and sustaining mental health in athletic environments, often prioritizing success over mental stability.
A key topic of the episode emphasizes how mental health affects anyone, regardless of status or success. World-class athletes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps publicly face mental health struggles, reinforcing the idea that mental health affects even the most successful people.
“We’ve had this concept that we need to be able to handle everything that happens between our ears on our own, and that’s just a cultural concept that’s not true,” shared Thomas. “Each (person) should get support when it’s beyond our capacity.”
Here are the key takeaways from the discussion.
Recognizing the Warning Signs of Stress and How to Track Your Mood
In today’s fast-paced world, we often feel like we should be able to manage everything on our own, especially when it comes to our mental health. But the truth is, when life overwhelms us, it’s essential to seek support rather than carry the burden alone. Mental health is no different. Thomas stresses three key areas to watch for: sleep, mood, and isolation.
Sleep Disruptions
Sleep hygiene is crucial for mental wellness and cognitive function. Poor sleep is often the body’s first signal that something’s off. If you are experiencing emotional stress or anxiety, you may find yourself tossing and turning or waking up frequently during the night.
“The first thing that I tell people to really start to pay attention to is your sleep,” said Thomas. “You should be able to fall asleep when you lie down in bed within 30 minutes; that is sleep hygiene 101.”
Prioritizing sleep can significantly improve your mental and emotional health, making it easier to cope with daily challenges. One key factor is waking up at the same time every day to regulate your body’s internal clock. It’s also important to avoid using phones, tablets, or computers at least 30 minutes before sleep, as the blue light emitted by screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep.
Tracking Your Mood
Most people don’t track their moods day to day, but doing so can be incredibly helpful for identifying patterns in their mental health. Thomas shares that one simple method is to keep a mood journal.
Keeping a mood journal can be an effective strategy for tracking stress levels and identifying patterns to help manage stress more effectively.
One tactic he suggests is to rate your positive and negative moods on a scale from one to ten (ten being your happiest and one being your lowest) at the end of each day. Then, subtract your negative mood score from your positive one.
“Let’s say your positive mood is two and your negative mood is eight. The result would be a negative six, which is unsustainable over time”, shared Thomas. “If your overall mood score is consistently below zero, it’s a clear sign that you’re struggling and may need to take action. On the other hand, if your positive mood is higher, such as a four, and your negative is a one, the difference is three, which is a more manageable emotional state.”
Isolation
While introverts may crave healthy alone time to recharge, it could be a red flag if you start isolating yourself more than usual. Avoiding or withdrawing from gatherings with friends and family and avoiding social activities can be signs to look out for. Isolation can be a symptom of stress, high inflammation, or mental health issues.
The Vagus Nerve: A Key to Stress Management
An interesting point raised in this episode is the vagus nerve’s role in stress management. The vagus nerve is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, overseeing various bodily functions, including mood control, immune response, digestion, and heart rate.
The vagus nerve plays a key role in shifting our body from the high-alert “fight or flight” state into the calming “rest and digest” mode. It helps to regulate stress by slowing the heart rate, promoting relaxation, and supporting overall well-being, making it essential for effective stress management.
The vagus nerve can be activated through various techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and massage. Even exposure to cold temperatures can stimulate vagus nerve pathways and reduce the body’s natural stress response.
Setting Healthy Boundaries and Reducing Social Media Impact
Social media can profoundly impact mental health, often leading to extreme comparison and feelings of inadequacy. Welch and Thomas mention Jordan Chiles as an example, who reduced her social media exposure to protect her mental health before her bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics was revoked.
“She did the behavior that was going to help her become healthier,” said Thomas. “Sometimes that’s setting a boundary, and sometimes that’s starting a routine.”
Setting healthy boundaries in your personal life and online can be a great tool for maintaining mental wellness. Reducing screen time and focusing on real-world connections has shown to improve mental and emotional well-being. Even NBA star Michael Porter Jr. stays offline to remain self-aware and clear of comparisons.
“I just think overall for me, social media and the day and age that we live in, the cons outweigh the pros for me personally and a lot of dudes in general,” shared Porter with On SI. “It depends what you want out of life and what you’re trying to reach for.”
Happiness vs. Fulfillment: Understanding the Difference
Unlike happiness, which is often tied to fleeting moments of joy and immediate gratification, fulfillment is a state of being. Feeling “fulfilled” is about accepting who you are, being grateful for what you have, and remaining optimistic about the future.
Welch and Thomas explore the benefits of fulfillment and gratitude and their effect on athletes’ overall mental state and success. They share how athletes should develop a mindset around long-term goals that encourage a more sustainable approach to happiness and a deeper sense of fulfillment.
Even basketball star Caitlin Clark has shared her struggles towards achieving excellence in an ESPN article. She explains how her drive slowly manifested as anger and frustration with herself and her teammates.
In the article, Clark reflects on the fleeting nature of momentary happiness, likening it to the temporary satisfaction of banner wins and rings, emphasizing the true value of memories shared with teammates.
“That’s not going to make me feel full at the end of the day,” said Clark. “In 20 years, banners and rings will just collect dust. It’s more the memories.”
The Value of Coaching and Seeking Help
Finally, the episode underscores the importance of working with experts and seeking help when facing mental and emotional challenges. Whether through therapy, coaching, or mentorship, getting the proper support can make all the difference in navigating life’s challenges.
You can gain more tips and recommendations from this insightful discussion by listening to the full podcast or watching it on YouTube.
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Written by Jessie Tobin, MA, BA
After receiving her master’s in professional communication, Jessie began her professional career at a healthcare technology startup, where she managed all content writing, paid media, email marketing and partner relationships. She is deeply passionate about using storytelling to build strong emotional connections between brands and their audiences, a skill she has refined through her YouTube channel, which has over 17 million views. Aside from copywriting, she shares her expertise as a professor at The University of Tampa.