Top reasons adults should take up more sports this year

It’s still early enough in the year to be thinking about your 2020 resolutions, and chances are staying fit and taking care of your body is one of them. It’s common to want to get back into shape after indulging during the holiday season, but it’s just as important to cultivate healthy habits that you’ll carry throughout your life.
This is where sports come in. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete looking for a challenge or a beginner wondering where to start, here are some reasons why adults should do more sports this year.

Makes exercise fun

While all of us know the importance of exercise and keeping fit, many often fail to stick to a routine because it ends up becoming exactly that — a routine. If you’re someone who finds the gym boring, why not try playing a sport instead? The Observer Reporter even recommends sports as a way to get adults fit, especially since it offers a low-pressure environment for adults to try out new skills alongside players of all levels. As mentioned in the first point, this is all about the love for the sport and friendly competition. Medical News Today links staying active to better brain health in the long-term. We often talk about how good it is for children and young adults to get into sports, but rarely do we discuss why adults should get into sports, too. The good news is that it’s never to late to find a new sport that you love.

Reduces stress

This may seem like an obvious tip, but playing sports doesn’t just reduce your stress through endorphins. As our post on the rise of eSports highlights, playing sports is engaging and allows you to take the time to do something you genuinely enjoy. Even the most successful eSports players will tell you that it’s not necessarily the money that motivates them to keep playing; at the end of the day, it’s all about the love for the sport. Picking up a sport is a habit that you can truly have for yourself.

Also read: E-cigarette popularity on Instagram is still growing despite an FDA anti-vaping campaign

Builds community

No man is an island, and the people you meet through sports can end up becoming your lifelong friends. In fact, community building is one of PPPoker’s core values outlined on their LinkedIn account — it constantly features tournaments and informal gatherings from poker players all across the globe. These gatherings are a testament to the powerful social aspect of sports, especially as it forces you to step out of your comfort zone and interact with people you might not have met otherwise. Even online sports communities have become safe havens for people, and sometimes it’s just nice to know you’re connecting with someone over a shared past time.

Forces you to take a break

Unlike jogging on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike, playing sports requires your full concentration. This isn’t the time to mindlessly scroll through your phone or check your emails. Playing sports forces you to really be in the moment and immerse yourself in the game. This is especially true for people who sign up for recreational sports, as these teams often meet at least once or twice a week. Such regular intervals can really force you to carve out time in your busy schedule.