Need a Mood Booster? Sport is the Answer

“New Year New You” is the slogan stretched across a local gym near me. It’s strangely familiar, yet seems to do the trick every January in signing up those seeking to trim the Christmas inches from their waistline. The fitness industry is one of the most marketing savvy of them all; clichés, punchlines and sales techniques are abundantly clear when you enter a gym.

The marketing around exercise and it’s purpose has traditionally focused on weight management and fitness. However, recent research shows the benefits of cardio-based exercise go far deeper than the skin around your belly. In fact, regular cardio exercise can have a profoundly positive effect on your mental health.

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Ninety minutes on the football pitch, numerous laps in the pool or tough, repetitive sprints. Regardless of the type of cardio exercise, there seems to be a genuine benefit to our mental sharpness, memory and conversational skills afterwards. Sceptical? Well, research from the U.S. points to a boost in short-term brain function and heightened awareness after intense cardio training. This makes a lunchtime jog or 5-a-side game of footy great for re-sharpening your mind during the day.

 

More Than Memory

Not only does playing sport improve brain function, it could also reverse certain mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. In a recent Australian study performed by Roy Morgan Research, it was discovered that the 1.35 million Australian adults who regularly play sports are noticeably less likely than the average Aussie to experience depression, anxiety or stress. Anyone who’s participated in a team sports would also find similar results, such is the physical high one gets after playing a match of football, netball or game of basketball.

The data showed some striking figures, too. In the under-25 age group, incidence of anxiety fell from 31% to 17%, depression from 17% to 8%, and anxiety from 20% to 10%. Combined, all three conditions being far less common among those who played sport on a regular basis. This is alarming when you consider the age group most susceptible to mental illnesses is 18 – 24.

 

Leadership Starts with Sport

If you are feeling happier and viewing yourself more positively, you might also feel more confident overall. At Princeton University in the U.S., studies show that athletic people have increased energy, making their day-to-day tasks easier. This self-confidence can manifest itself into leadership skills and the opting for a ‘team mindset’ in the workplace and in social situations, culminating in a stronger head space overall.

If you have children, sports can also benefit then in many of the same ways that it does for adults. Research indicates that the more active your children are when they are younger, the more inclined they are to play sports competitively when they’re older. Similar research shows that participating in a team sport can improve academic performance.

So in short, playing sports or performing regular cardio-based exercise can condition both your body and your mind. I personally find the feeling of focused persistence during exercise stays with me for the hours following. It’s also well known that with regular sports or cardio exercise, you’ll benefit from the release of Endorphins which elevate your mood. Endorphins on tap? That’s something to cheer on.

In case you couldn’t tell, we at Lucid are passionate about body betterment, neuro-enhancement, productivity & focus. To be kept up to date on any other blogs or infographics, add yourself to our community mailing list.