Description
Playing a sport regularly offers several benefits, mainly related to physical health. Additionally, it can improve your cognitive skills, cultivate willpower, and enhance your ability to achieve goals.
Possible Benefits
- May improve your confidence
- May improve your overall health
- May mitigate anxiety
- May decrease stress
- May promote mental toughness
- May improve sleep quality
- May increase productivity
- May improve your mood
Required Equipment
Varies depending on the sport of your choosing.
Make sure to get sportswear.
How to Do It
Choose a sport and practice it regularly. To increase the benefits, do it at least twice a week.
Some ideas: soccer, basketball, tennis, football, volleyball, swimming, badminton, baseball, beach volleyball, boxing, golf, hockey, softball, handball, lacrosse, field hockey, martial arts
Why it works
- Modern society promotes an energy surplus. We have more energy than we spend. Playing sports is one way to increase energy expenditure and protect health.
- Physical activity is positively related to psychological well-being and overall health.
- People who play sports on a regular basis tend to have more willpower. They develop a greater ability to persist despite the intense effort.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lack of physical activity is one of the main factors leading to the development of chronic diseases and an increased risk of death.
Time Commitment
30-60 minutes
Suggested Frequency
At least 2 times per week
Time of Day
Any that matches your daily routine
It is probably better in the morning or afternoon
Possible Side Effects
Muscle and/or joint discomfort
Tends to decrease with regular practice
Be careful to avoid injury
Tips
- Join a nearby sports club to increase your motivation
- Always warm-up at the beginning and stretch at the end
- Track your activity with a wearable to stay motivated
- Set monthly or weekly goals
- When you feel ready, enter a local competition!
Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- Physical activity. Key facts. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
- EXERCISING WILLPOWER: DIFFERENCES IN WILLPOWER DEPLETION AMONG ATHLETES AND NONATHLETES. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/coep.12150
- Physical Activity and Sports—Real Health Benefits: A Review with Insight into the Public Health of Sweden. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6572041/
- The contribution of sport participation to overall health enhancing physical activity levels in Australia: a population-based study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4545912/
- Physical exercise and psychological well being: a critical review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1756084/
