RESOURCE
IOC Mental Health in Elite Athletes Toolkit

This toolkit was created to help you, your entourage members, sports organisations and health professionals better understand, promote and support athletes’ wellness and mental health.

LEARNING
Sleep to Compete

This course will help you understand why prioritising good quality sleep is vital to your overall health, while presenting you with simple strategies and techniques that you can put into practice today.

Athlete stories
Mentally Fit
Nastia Liukin: You’re not defined by your medals
Five-time Olympic medallist Nastia Liukin explains the importance of not allowing your success to define who you are.
Well-being
J’den Cox: Why you’re capable of making it through anything
American wrestler J’den Cox shares his journey of overcoming depression while learning to cope with partial hearing loss.
Well-being
Helen Richardson-Walsh OLY: How injuries affected my mental health
Helen Richardson-Walsh OLY reflects on the moment she accepted she needed help, as she battled with crippling depression.
Well-being
The positive side of problems
Refugee athlete Farid Walizadeh offers his advice on how you can learn to take on any challenge in life.
Career
Gearoid Towey OLY: How to deal with the emotional challenges of retirement
World champion rower Gearoid Towey OLY struggled with a loss of identity after retiring, and now shares the lessons he learned along the way.
Mentally Fit
René Holten Poulsen: Let’s talk about PTSD in sport
René Holten Poulsen opens up about how his challenging experience at Rio 2016 led to a post-traumatic stress disorder reaction.
Finance
Pauls Pujats OLY: Creating a mind, body and soul experience on Airbnb
Olympic pole vaulter Pauls Pujats OLY explains how he’s using his Airbnb Experience to promote holistic health.
Well-being
Well-being in the spotlight
Australian Paralympian Hannah MacDougall shares her advice on how you can look after yourself while supporting those around you.
Mentally Fit
Toby Penty: Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Former England badminton player Toby Penty reflects on what helped him out of a dark place and finish his career on a high.
Deal with sleep
Well-being
Healthy sleep equals a healthy mind
Dr Michael Grandner explains why sleep is crucial to your physical and mental well-being and offers practical advice on improving your routine.
Well-being
5 steps to getting a great night’s sleep
Professor Jim Horne shares a few simple and practical steps you can take today to get a better night’s sleep.
Well-being
How to create good sleeping habits
Our sleep expert offers his recommendations on how you can develop positive habits that promote sleep quality.
Well-being
Is athlete sleep different?
Sleep specialist Iuliana Hartescu answers some of the key questions concerning how sport and sleep are related.
Expert advice
Mentally Fit
Leading the way on athlete mental health
Athlete365 has taken several important steps to increase support and drive the conversation surrounding well-being.
Mentally Fit
Train yourself to cope with loss
Dr Claudia Reardon is a sports psychiatrist who shares her advice on how you can bounce back when your goals or routines are taken away.
Mentally Fit
Expert guide to staying #MentallyFit
The IOC Mental Health Working Group provide their tips on how you can recognise and cope with any problems you may be facing.
Mentally Fit
Combatting the anxiety of the unknown
Dr Carla Edwards runs through some of the different ways in which you can better manage any anxiety symptoms.
Entourage
How to help your athletes through uncertainty
Dr Karen Cogan offers advice to entourage members on how to best guide athletes through uncertain times.
Well-being
Explaining the psychological benefits of journaling
Dr Alice Boyes, author of The Healthy Mind Toolkit, explains the therapeutic benefits of writing about your emotions.
Well-being
12 ways to deal with the unexpected
Expertly put together by the IOC Mental Health Working Group, these steps will help you deal with the stresses of top-level competition.
Mentally Fit
Five expert tips to help athletes stay positive
Psychologist Paul Wylleman challenges you to set new goals and adapt your daily behaviour to any changes in your situation.
Mentally Fit
Take control of your anxiety
Two-time Olympic medallist and performance psychologist Markus Rogan shares his knowledge on thinking positively.
Mentally Fit
Understanding and minimising jet lag
We explain what jet lag is, how it can impact you mentally and physically, and how you can minimise its effects.
Mentally Fit
Building a support network
We look at how you can build and improve your relationships and work to normalise conversations around mental health.
Career
How to manage your transition out of sport
From developing a non-sporting identity to reaching out for help, we offer suggestions to ease your transition into the next chapter of your life.
Mentally Fit
Psychologically recovering from a big event
Psychologist Sarah Cecil explains what performance decompression is and why it’s important for you and your teammates.
Well-being
How the IOC Sport Mental Health Recognition Tool can help you
With the IOC Sport Mental Health Recognition Tool, we can help you identify the signs that you might need support.