One
of the best reasons for kids and adults to play sport is for the incredible
health benefits. With experts recommending 150 minutes of moderate exercise a
week, it can be hard to find the time and motivation to fit this into a busy
schedule. Sport makes it easy. Firstly, the sport
tends to involve vigorous exercise, meaning you only need to
aim for 75 minutes a week to get the same benefits. This makes achieving a
healthy level of exercise easier. Secondly, the sport is fun. Everyone can
find a physical activity that gets them excited, whether that’s volleyball,
cycling, kayaking, or rock climbing. The vast range of sports available means
that it is possible to find a form of exercise that’s enjoyable. Once again,
this makes exercise exciting and less of a chore, increasing the chances of you
finding the motivation to do it. Beyond these clear health
benefits, the importance of sports lies in how they encourage other healthy
behavior. In order to perform well and win games, you are going to smoke less,
drink less, eat better, and get more sleep. Having this competitive motivation
means that you live more healthily across all areas of your life.
Exercise
is so vital to maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding cardiovascular
problems. For many, however, nothing is more daunting than a trip to the gym.
Sport, conversely, does not feel like a burden. It is fun, social, exciting,
and fulfilling. As a result, achieving all the health benefits is instantly
more achievable. In terms of physical changes in the brain, sport releases
dopamine and serotonin. As a result, your risk of depression is reduced by up to 30%! These so-called happiness chemicals are
essential for a stable and positive mood. Any form of exercise stimulates their
production, but sport seems to do so more effectively, especially when you
score a goal or win a game. As sport is often practiced outdoors, you will also
be receiving more vitamin D. This too has been shown to improve mood and lower
the symptoms of depression. Taking vitamin D tablets can be used as a treatment
for depression but getting it directly from the sun is a more natural and
effective method. Unlike other forms of exercise, sport is necessarily social.
Even when you are playing a solo sport, you will have a competitor, coach, and
referee to interact with. For many people in the modern world, social
interaction is lacking. Sport could be your way into making friends and reaping
all the benefits that come with that. Outside of physical health, relationships
are the most important foundation of happiness.
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