If you think watching sports makes you isolated and porky, you are wrong. Your sports possession is actually a good thing. Studies have shown that being a sports fan is very good for your mental and physical health and wellbeing. Watching sports also connects people and serves as a social catalyst. Read on to learn how showing your team loyalty makes you happier and healthier.
It Prevents Depression
No matter whether you love watching soccer, baseball, horse racing cups or something else, being an active participant all season makes you happier and actually prevents depression. Yes, you will be sad if your team loses, but research shows that rooting and being attached to your team makes you less depressed than people who are uninvolved in sports. Watching games or races ensures you stay active and interested in events in the world.
It Makes Your Relationship Stronger
Sometimes, your significant other doesn’t like sports as much as you do, but if you were lucky enough to find someone who loves sports as much as you do, watching the game together as a couple can help to make your relationship stronger. Studies show that couples who watch games together are happier and more satisfied with their relationship than couples who are split off during those times.
It Helps to Live Longer
Eating healthy, being physically active and getting enough sleep and three essential aspects of a healthy and long life. However, the social aspect of watching sports also plays a part in your healthiness and longevity. If you have friends you watch a game with consistently, and who offer you support when you are down, this leads to a happier and longer life.
It Keeps Your Mind Active
Crazy sports fans love breaking down a game, predicting it outcomes or simply analyzing it as a puzzle. This is a great mental exercise and makes your mind sharper and more active in subtle and effortless ways. Non-language activities such as playing or watching a sport require using different parts of your brain unlike the ones used in language understanding. This encourages various parts of your mind to be active.
You Could Lose Weight
Watching sports can’t help you shed those extra pounds, but it can inspire you to move and start exercising more. Want to have a hot body like Ronaldo? That’s easy, hit the gym more. Or, you could start playing football more.
It Builds Self-Esteem
Rooting for a team is very similar to participating in a ritual in a primitive tribe. When the local sports team wins, you will also feel their accomplishment and feel better about yourself. You may be proud of your country and similar. Being a sports fan typically means you are loyal to your team, and that you feel like you belong to their community. Therefore, you will see their accomplishment as yours which will help build self-esteem and confidence.
Hosting game watch parties and having friends that are also avid fans facilitates communication and the process of getting to know each other. Having social support and staying connected with other people can also boost your self-image.
Thanks for explaining how studies have shown that watching sports as a couple helps you be more satisfied with your relationship than if you go by yourself. In order to do this, it would probably be a good idea to talk to your partner about the types of games they’re interested in. This could help you find common ground so you can then go online to find local sporting events that fit your tastes so you can both enjoy yourselves and strengthen your relationship.
I never realized that watching sports could build self-esteem by witnessing a victory and feeling their accomplishment as your own. My husband became very invested in watching the Dallas Cowboys last year, and I could definitely see a change in his confidence. He even started hosting parties to watch the games, which he is usually a little nervous about doing. Hopefully I can find some great tickets to a game or two for his birthday. Thanks for the info!