You can ask almost any person what their favorite athlete, team, or sport is, chances are, they’ll probably mention a few of them — even if they’re not athletic! And there’s a good reason why. Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University found countless benefits of watching sports. And they also found that live sports games boost mental health for a few reasons.
Here are a few.
Reasons Why Live Sports Games Boost Mental Health
There’s the thrill of hearing the crowd’s roaring cheers
If you’ve ever been to a festival or concert, you probably noticed how your fellow attendees’ cheers also made you clap and scream for the performers — or at least put a smile on your face. And it goes the same when you watch live sports — where the crowd isn’t just happy that they get to see their favorite sport live, they’re also rooting for their team to win!
According to the university’s School of Psychology and Sports Science studies, those who attended live games felt a “sense of life” that made it seem like life was “worthwhile” to the live sports attendees. Furthermore, you might witness history if you attend one game — and that’s enough to give you goosebumps for a few good decades!
You get to support your favorite team or athletes
Who wouldn’t want to see their heroes, idols, or the person they simply just admire in person? That goes the same for live sports where we can get to witness people we look up to — in action!
Whenever we’re asked why we look up to these people, we often say that it’s because they “inspire” us. And when we’re inspired, we’re motivated to do the things we do — but we do it better than how we normally do! Studies also find that watching live sports can improve one’s chances of getting hired for a new job. You never know, it might take a live sport to nail that upcoming interview you got!
You’ll be surrounded by people who love the same team as you
There’s always going to be that one friend in the group who doesn’t like the team you support. Sometimes, it’s even the rival team that they root for! But even if you joke a lot about it with them or your banter involves talking trash about each other’s favorite team with them, it’s still different when you’re surrounded by people who agree with most of your opinions on the game — and the teams you all collectively love and dislike!
Anglia Ruskin University researchers say that those who watched live sporting events found themselves to be less lonely — as they’re with people they identify with. Moreover, live sports can encourage social interactions among other attendees. Because of these feelings of satisfaction, the university hypothesized that it can help lower mortality rates.
Summary
Recently, Anglia Ruskin University surveyed people and researched the benefits of watching sports live. And they found a few reasons why live sports games boost mental health — it can make a person feel like they’re with like-minded fans, they may feel less lonely, and they’re more likely to interact with other people. The sense of belongingness won’t just earn a person a few more friends, but it can also help them take care of their mental well-being better! Lastly, the benefits of watching live sports events can also give you a good reason to support your favorite team more!