In a world where stress and anxiety are increasingly prevalent, it’s essential to find effective ways to improve our mental health. Sport has always been seen as an excellent way of doing this.
But which sport is most beneficial to our mental well-being? A recent study provides some answers to this question. Find out in this article about the surprising results of this research, which could well change your way of thinking. physical activity and its impact on mental health.
The benefits of sport for mental health: scientific evidence
It has now been proven that regular physical activity is an essential pillar in maintaining good mental health. In fact, sport plays an important preventive role against chronic diseases and helps manage many long-lasting conditions.
Beyond these physical benefits, it also stimulates hormone production such as endorphin, dopamine and adrenalin, which act as a stimulant for natural antidepressantsreduce stress, improve sleep and alleviate pain.
Plus, sport fosters social tiesreinforcing our sense of belonging to a community. However, not all sports have the same impact on mental health. Australian researchers conducted a comparative study to determine which sport would be most beneficial.
Dancing, the champion of mental health according to an Australian study
In a research published in January 2024 in Sports MedicineAustralian scientists analyzed the psychological and cognitive effects of various sporting activities. They examined data from several studies involving nearly 1,300 participants of all ages, both healthy and suffering from chronic illnesses.
These data included the health status of the participants as well as their sporting activities. Researchers then compared the mental health benefits of various sports such as walking, martial arts, team sports, weight training and dance. The verdict? Dance stands out as the most beneficial sport for mental healthregardless of the style practised.
Dance, a physical and artistic activity with multiple benefits
The results of the Australian study highlight the many mental health benefits of dance. Indeed, this discipline has been shown to be as effective, if not more so, than other sports in improving various psychological and cognitive aspects. Learning to move stimulates cognition while group practice encourages social interaction.
In addition, the artistic aspect of dance contributes to thepsychological well-being. Alycia Fong Yan, lead author of the study, also points out that dance helps toimprove emotional well-beingreduce depressive symptoms, increase motivation, develop social cognition and improve certain aspects of memory.
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