Whether you’re tossing a ball, returning a volley, or even just cheering for your favourite team, involving yourself with sports can help you reap incredible benefits.
Click start to play today’s Word Search, and pick out all the different kinds of sports.
Physical activity has long been shown to improve brain function. According to a June 2011 study published by the US National Library of Medicine, games that are unpredictable and require on-the-spot problem-solving can boost the brain’s executive functioning – skills that help the brain organise and act on information.
In the case of students, those skills can transfer to academic tasks. In fact, almost any kind of physical activity can be the trigger for better academic performance. A 2013 study by the universities of Strathclyde and Dundee in the UK found that intensive exercise was directly related to exam success in English, maths and science. The study involved 5,000 children, and noted an increase in performance for every extra 17 minutes that boys exercised. In the case of girls, it was every extra 12 minutes.
But it’s not just engaging in physical activity or playing sports that does the trick. Even watching sports and rooting for your favourite team can benefit you.
The natural community that forms around team sports creates a sense of belonging. A 2017 study published in the US-based journal Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, found that people who identify as sports fans have higher levels of self-esteem, lower levels of loneliness and an increased likelihood of a sense of satisfaction with their lives than those who aren’t interested in sports.
And regardless of the outcome of the game, or whether their favourite team wins or loses, fans gain health benefits. For one, being a fan and experiencing their team’s defeats with their community helps people cope with losses. A February 2019 study published in the US-based journal Communication and Sport, found that watching a football game with other fans helps lessen the negative psychological impact of losing. Watching sports also helps alleviate stress and creates commonalities among strangers, allowing one to improve social connections.
Who knew the enjoyable avenue of sports had so many mental advantages? Play today’s Word Search and let us know what you think at games@gulfnews.com.
