The poker wellbeing hub, for healthy living on the EPT and beyond

February 27, 2026

by Howard Swains

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3 Minute Read

Wellbeing is a topic we’ve returned to often on the European Poker Tour (EPT) and beyond, but that’s only because it’s so important.

Staying healthy, both in mind and body, should be the No 1 priority for everyone — and it’s exceptionally important in the world of poker, which can be solitary, exhausting and emotionally turbulent, characterised by extreme highs and difficult lows.

Thankfully, there is plenty of help out there for how to remain on an even keel while playing poker, not least via the EPT’s daily wellness sessions. Throughout most festivals, there are daily mindfulness sessions, or yoga and pilates classes. They are free for players and their guests to join.

So much of what happens in poker takes place away from the felt

It’s also worth reviewing some of the content we have provided over the years, including a detailed post from our last trip to Paris that focused on the mental health of poker players.

We’ve also covered ways to ensure you sit comfortably while grinding online, offered a few yoga exercises to do during tournament breaks, and provided various food and nutrition tips to help you stay healthy.

Here’s where you’ll find a selection of valuable advice. Spend some time to look through what’s on offer in our Wellbeing Hub.

Check in on your mental health

It’s not always obvious what’s going on in a player’s mind

The tournament room might be packed, but it doesn’t mean you can’t feel isolated. In Paris in 2024, we took a close look at the hugely valuable Mental Health Toolkit, as well as Wellbeing Information for Events Pack prepared by Flutter, PokerStars’ parent company.

This is absolutely stacked with great information, from identifying warning signs, to starting a conversation and giving excellent advice on active listening and pertinent questions to help out. Read it and remember it.

Mental health check-in

Four healthy habits

Here’s a very helpful list of ideas to keep you on the right track. Cut out the sugar, find some brain food snacks, take regular exercise and find a good work/rest balance. This overview of four fantastic ideas to keep you healthy is hugely valuable.

Adopting perfect posture while playing

Is this you in 10 years?

There’s a terrifying image of your “work colleague of the future” in this article, which takes a look at how the sedentary life is affecting our spines. Obviously poker players need to spend a lot of time sitting down, whether they’re playing online or live. But there’s information here about how to make it less damaging.

All you need to know about posture

Keep your mind active

There’s an awful lot of downtime in poker. You’ll obviously be folding the vast majority of your hands, and you’ll sometimes also have to wait for a long time between sessions. But there are plenty of things you can do in that time to feed your mind. This article assesses some options.

How to fill the downtime in poker

Tips for working from home

Plenty of people make a living from poker. It can be tough, but if you’re committed enough, it can be lucrative and enjoyable experience. It also means you can essentially set your own hours and work from your own home, enjoying all the freedoms that brings. In this article, a handful of top poker pros, including Charlie Carrel and Rui Ferreira, shared their tips for how they keep motivated and stay healthy while grinding for a living.

Learn from the best about working from home