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Burnout in Young Athletes
Overview
Today, burnout is an emerging topic that more people are focused on and concerned about. Which is no surprise when children, teens, and students are expected to be able to juggle the demands of school, busy sports schedules, and extracurriculars. This is especially true for young athletes who are constantly striving to do their best in their sport while also trying to juggle the many other stresses of life. Burnout can be especially harmful to young athletes because it can cause them to no longer enjoy their sport and negatively impact their performance, it can also affect other aspects of their lives such as their mental health and self-esteem. In today’s blog post we will be learning more about burnout in young athletes, the signs and symptoms, how to treat burnout, and how to prevent burnout. Learning about what burnout is and how to prevent it allows for young athletes to have a sustainable and positive athletic career.
What is Burnout in Young Athletes?
Burnout can be experienced in many aspects of life, including sports. Burnout in athletes is caused by the chronic stress that comes from constant demands in their sport without enough time to rest and recover both physically and mentally. Burnout can be caused by over practicing in order to become better at their sport and can lead to an athlete becoming stale and unmotivated or trapped by their sport. Some signs and symptoms of burnout in athletes are listed below:
- Diminished performance
- Losses in strengthen and stamina
- Chronic fatigue
- Low self-esteem
- Increased amount of anxiety and depression
- Disinterest in their sport
- Difficulty concentrating in school
- Declining performance in school
- Tiredness
Ways to Treat Burnout in Young Athletes
The main way that burnout is treated in athletes is through rest, since burnout occurs because their is a prolonged lack of rest and recovery. To be able to fully rest athletes should stop participating in training for a certain amount of time, usually between 4-12 weeks. The amount of rest and time away from their sport that is required depends on multi factors including the sport, amount of competition, and level of skill. During this time an athlete can still participate in moderate aerobic activities, like walking, but should not do any activities that relate to their sport.
Ways to Prevent Burnout in Young Athletes
The main goal is to prevent burnout before it happens so that athletes are able to continue to play and enjoy their sport without having to take an extended break from. So here are some ways to prevent burnout:
- Spend 1 - 2 days a week resting from your sport or participating in a different activity
- Maintain a healthy diet that will give you the fuel and energy to perform well
- Stay hydrated before, during, and after training and competing
- Listen to your body take short breaks when needed or alter your training
- Sleep is very important for athletes to be able to perform their best and recover so prioritize getting quality sleep at night
- Try out and participate in multiple sports, this is especially important for young athletes who are deciding what sport they like to play and want to play
- Participate in other activities that are not just sports related such as joining after school activities or picking up a hobby like gardening
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