
By Scarlett Tarango
For some, participating in sports is only a hobby, for others, sports are a fundamental part of everyday life. No matter how you view them, sports offer great benefits. But what are these benefits?
Besides enjoyment, playing sports provides crucial health benefits. Exercise is necessary for physical health, but what makes sports different from just any other workout?
Sports create more overall enjoyment and motivation for those playing. People become passionate about their chosen sport, motivating them to keep consistently doing it.
Not only do they work out the body, but the mind as well. Instead of only engaging the body, sports force the brain to exercise itself as you come up with strategies, interact with others, and discover new ways to play. There are also many different options of sports to play depending on what you like. From badminton or football, there are hundreds of different sports to match each person’s personal interests.
These kinds of health benefits are important for all age groups. In comparison to average exercise, sports get children more easily interested in being active.
In an article from Care.com, author Adriana Velez states, “You’d be amazed at all the different ways physical activity benefits children and teens.” Exercise is the most crucial for children, as it turns out to benefit bone health, balance, literacy, sleep, brain health and much more. Sports for children also can build mental skills like team work and friendship.
Sports help to build long term stamina and muscle. Sports don’t only benefit children of course, there are plenty of the same benefits that apply to adults too.
According to CDC article Physical Activity Benefits, playing sports regularly can reduce risks for various diseases. Some of these include, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, infectious diseases, and even some cancers.
CDC states, “An estimated 110,000 per year could be prevented if U.S. adults ages 40 and older increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Even 10 minutes more a day would make a difference.” Maintaining physical health can even reduce chronic pains and illnesses. Just committing small amounts of practice each day could make a big difference in your body’s health.