Latifa Madesko, Campus Carrier staff writer
Football, better known as soccer in the United States, has over 3.5 billion fans world-wide. Cricket comes in second place for the most popular sport, with over 2.5 billion fans all around the nation. Hockey falls behind cricket with nearly over 2 billion fans. Why is this significant?
Sports provide so many benefits that many do not realize. For starters, playing a sport has several physical benefits that assist one in bettering themselves, and living a healthier lifestyle. The physical advantages of playing a sport include improved cardiovascular health, lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, improve muscular strength and many more. Physically participating in a sport, whether that be high intensity or low intensity, will provide all sorts of health benefits. Additionally, there is no age limit, or specific target around the number of skills you have in a particular sport. For example, there are all sorts of leagues and communities that will fit you and your ability. My fifty-two-year-old father continues to play in his “above fifty-year-old men” basketball league every Thursday evening. One should never feel restricted because of their age, skill set, or knowledge about a sport.
Next, sports and physical activity are a great resource for a person’s mental health and well-being. You can reduce stress by engaging in sports. Endorphins, the brain chemicals that reduce tension and pain, are released when you exercise. Cortisol and adrenaline levels are decreased along with other stress chemicals. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day might help people feel more at ease, according to studies. After exercising, this tranquility lasts for several hours.
When you are actively participating in a sport, your attention is focused on that action. You don’t have time to think about your day’s problems or concerns. Regular physical activity helps persons with mental health concerns manage their depression or anxiety. Additionally, the absence of action permits negative ideas to intensify since your mind is free to worry and experience stress. This occupies your thoughts and lowers your body’s level of the stress chemicals.
Finding a sport, hobby, or physical activity at Berry is easy because there are numbers of options to choose from. With a long list that ranges from pickleball all the way to an archery tag tournament, it should be easy to find one or a few activities that you enjoy or are willing to try. Through the intermural program at Berry, professors, staff and students may compete and have fun in a variety of team and individual sports events. Participating in a sport can help bridge a path to meeting others with similar interests and paving a path of community.
