Perhaps you have been criticized for watching too much sport on television instead of playing it.
Instead of exercising, watching athletes exercising increases the feeling of well-being.
Good for mental health, this activity to practice from your sofa or the stands of a stadium also strengthens social interactions.
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Feeling good in your body, feeling good in your head
With the Paris Olympics approaching, sports fans no longer have to feel guilty. Of course, watching sports events is often accompanied by bad behavior (sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and junk food consumption, etc.), but watching athletes in full effort contributes to well-being.
And besides, fans don’t hold back, according to the survey conducted by Statista Consumer Insights among 4,500 French sports fans. Between April 2023 and March 2024, 72% of them followed football on television, 39% rugby and 36% tennis. If you are one of those who never miss a live match, don’t give up this good habit.
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These sporting activities are strongly discouraged for pregnant women.
Why watching sports brings pleasure?
A Japanese study conducted in March 2024 by researchers from Waseda University explores the link between well-being and sports viewing. This multidisciplinary approach combines data analyzes on 20,000 Japanese residents, questionnaires on 208 participants and medical imaging techniques on fourteen able-bodied Japanese participants.
For Professor Shintaro Saton who led the study, the results leave no shadow of doubt. “For those looking to improve their overall well-being, regularly watching sports, particularly popular sports, can be an effective remedy,” he said in a statement.
But why do some sports like football or baseball provide a feeling of fullness? The Japanese study has shed light on the role of viewing on the brain. It activates the reward circuits, which explains the pleasure and happiness felt during this activity.
Thanks to medical imaging, researchers were able to see the impact of viewing over the long term. People who watch sports have a greater volume of gray matter in brain regions associated with reward circuits. This leads to structural changes that benefit mental health.
Watching sport, a way to break your loneliness?
Beyond the clichés of the supporter, a packet of chips or a beer in hand, watching sportsmen on television helps reduce the feeling of loneliness. A British study carried out in 2022 among 7,249 people showed the positive effects of viewing. Watching people play sports increases the feeling of general well-being in individuals, who then feel less alone. According to the researchers, this positive impact on mental health is explained by the increase in social interactions during sporting events and the feeling of belonging, by being a fan of a club, for example.
Another British study carried out in 2022 among 2,000 sports fans corroborates these results. Produced by OnePoll on behalf of the English sports company Better, it demonstrates that supporting a particular team or athlete does people good. 49% of respondents feel well-being from watching sporting events. For one in two people, it is a way to socialize with those around them. 35% use sport to belong to a community. Sport brings people together, but not only that. For a third of those surveyed, it is also an incentive to become more active.
