WWE Superstar Bianca Belair Admits 'Mental Health Is a Huge Part of Athletics': 'It's About Knowing When to Rest'

As an elite athlete, Bianca Belair, who is often celebrated for breaking barriers for Black women in WWE, understands the importance of caring for her mental health amid her busy schedule.

"Mental health is a huge part of athletics — and a huge part of life in general. I dealt with mental health issues in high school and in college," Belair exclusively tells OK! while discussing her partnership with C4. "I always say, 'It's a marathon, it's a journey, and it's something that you continuously go through.'"

"You just learn to deal with your triggers. You learn to handle yourself with more grace," she continues. "It's all about knowing when to rest."

Belair's recent remarks follows Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles' decision to advocate for self-care during the 2020 Olympics.

"I always have to remind myself to pull back," the former track star admits. "I lean on my support system. I have an amazing family."

"I think Simone Biles was a true testament to that last Olympics, where she put her mental health ahead of her performance, and she had to pull back. She had to know when it was time to rest," Belair notes.

Though Belair has a massive following on Instagram, she admits her supporters motivate her to excel in her field.

"I love my fans," she gushes. "My why is my fans, especially being a role modeI, that's why I wrestle. I love the fact that I have social media now — and I'm on so many different platforms."

"I love our [fan] universe," Belair says while discussing the WWE base. "I love how passionate they are. I love how it's so family-oriented."

While building a name for herself in WWE, Belair coined herself "The Est" to capture her unique athletic talents.

"When I first got to WWE, I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be and what I wanted to represent in the ring," Belair admits. "I was all over the place because I never wanted to be placed into a box, and I never wanted to shrink myself. I want to be multifaceted."

"I was having a hard time with that because when you're in WWE, and you come out in the ring, you want people to automatically understand it right away," the reality star shares. "You don't want it to be overly complicated. You want it to be very simple. I just felt like I wasn't simple. I was all of these things — I'm not just strong, I'm the strongest, and I'm not just fast, I'm the fastest. All of those things ended in EST and that was the way to simplify it."

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While juggling her training schedule and life at home with her husband and fellow WWE star, Montez Ford, Belair relies on C4 to help her keep going amidst the chaos.

"I love C4. I've been using C4 since before I even got into WWE," she exclaims about the product. "When I was presented with the opportunity to collaborate with them, I was very excited about it because it's natural and authentic."

"I use it inside and outside the ring. I use it to help fuel my workouts to maximize my performance in the gym," Belair adds. "I also sew and make all of my ring gear, so I'm up late at night. Sometimes at night before the show, I use C4 when I'm sewing at home."