This research has explored the use of physical activity and sports in improving the psychological wellbeing among athletes in Delta state, Nigeria. The main aim was to find out the degree to which engagement in physical activities and sports defines psychological well-being, especially in the minimization of anxiety, stress, and symptoms of depression among athletes. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Participants were sampled as participants in the registered sports clubs, tertiary institutions, and recreational centres in Delta State, out of which 300 respondents were sampled using stratified random sampling methods. The information was gathered with the help of a structured questionnaire that was aimed at assessing the degree of physical activity and such indicators of mental health as emotional stability, stress, and anxiety. The instrument showed high reliability in terms of Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.82. Descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, and standard deviation) and inferential ones, such as Pearson Product Moment Correlation, independent t-test, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a level of significant 0.05 were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that 46.7 per cent of the people were practicing a high level of physical activity with 36.7 per cent and 16.6 per cent recording moderate and low levels of activity respectively. It revealed a significant positive correlation between physical activity and mental health (r = 0.61, p < 0.05) so that more engagement in sports is the significant contributor to psychological well-being. Moreover, highly active athletes (68 percent) indicated low levels of anxiety whilst 29 per cent of less active participants did not. The t-test deem was found to be significant in detailing the level of anxiety in active and less active athletes (t = 8.42, p < 0.05). Moreover, the outcomes of the ANOVA (F = 36.57, p < 0.05) also revealed that athletes who exhibited high levels of activity also had better mental health outcomes (mean = 4.35) than their counterparts (moderate and low) who did not. In the whole study, the findings were that frequent participation in physical activity and sports is crucial towards the improvement of mental health as it lowers stress, improves mood and promotes social well being among sportsmen at Delta state.

Keywords: Physical activity, sports participation, mental health, athletes, anxiety reduction, psychological well-being, Delta State.