The Brain Benefits of Sports: Can Soccer Make You Smarter?

The Brain Benefits of Sports: Can Soccer Make You Smarter?

The Brain Benefits of Sports: Can Soccer Make You Smarter?

You know that exercise is good for your brain, but just how good is it? Learn what the mental benefits of sports are in this piece.

Keyword(s): benefits of sports

The 2018 World Cup has given us another chance to geek out about a sport most of us played when we were seven.

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world. Players like Messi and Ronaldo use their skills on the pitch to become celebrities. It's a fast-paced sport that's easy to understand, and thrilling to watch.

But did you know that soccer can actually make you smarter? One of the many benefits of sports is that it improves your brain power.

Since a soccer game is 90 minutes of pure cardio, you're basically training to be Einstein.

But how exactly does soccer make you smarter? Read on to find out.

Soccer Can Help Your Memory

Studies show that practicing sports can help improve your memory. Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that regular exercise boosts the size of the hippocampus.

The hippocampus is the area of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning. Scientists say that participating in moderate exercise for 120 minutes a week will improve your memory.

Let's say your child has a spelling test coming up. We all know that without spellcheck the only way to learn how to spell is memorization. If your child has been practicing soccer for thirty minutes a day, it could help them on the test. Studying helps too, but it's less fun than soccer.

Soccer Can Make You Smarter

Okay, that might be a stretch. But scientists have proven that exercise does help your problem-solving skills.

The benefits of sports come from its ability to get the blood flowing to your brain. This blood flow helps reduce insulin resistance, inflammation, and stimulates cell growth.

Getting blood pumping is important for bringing oxygen and nutrients to your body. When your brain has more blood flow then it's easier to support growth and maintenance of new brain cells. Keeping those brain cells alive makes it easier for you to process information and provide solutions.

This kind of brain cell maintenance is important for young and old minds alike. Practicing sports helps kids in the classroom. Scientists are also working to see if it's linked to Alzheimer's.

Soccer Can Make You Less Stressed

If soccer can help improve brain function, stress is the easiest way of killing it.

Stress creates cortisol, a hormone that clouds our brains and makes it hard to think straight. Scientists have linked too much cortisol to anxiety. Anxiety is a disability that feels like it brings your rational brain to a screeching halt. Stress and anxiety also deplete the brain cells that help create new memories.

Regular exercise lowers cortisol levels, which reduces stress and anxiety. Studies have also found that it creates new cells that help create new memories.

So if you've been feeling stressed at work, or your child looks haggard after a test, break out the soccer ball. Remember, thirty minutes a day helps keep the blues away.

Soccer Makes You Happier

If you've ever seen Legally Blonde, you already know about this one. Exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. Despite the legal inaccuracies in this movie, they got that part right.

The science linking happiness and physical activity is exhaustive. They all say pretty much the same thing. Adults who report being happier are also the ones who exercise regularly.

It isn't only the brain chemicals that make us happier either. The benefits of sports on our health and sense of accomplishment go a long way towards happiness.

Team sports like soccer also help. They allow us to engage in physical activity while we socialize with other people. Socializing helps us create bonds with others. Studies linked a sense of community to a happier, healthier mindset.

Playing soccer with others can also help with your motivation. Exercise is difficult, and we'd all much rather sit inside and watch TV. But if we have other people depending on us, we're more likely to get out there and kick around a ball.

Soccer Sets Kids Up for Success in the Long Run

Every benefit of playing sports we mentioned applies to kids as well.

Regular exercise can stimulate brain cell growth. This growth is especially important for young minds. Sports also help them gain focus, which helps them succeed in the classroom. It'll help lower their cortisol levels. This will make it easier for them to work through problems and think clearly. Plus kids who exercise a lot early on tend to value exercise later in life.

Soccer will also teach them other important life lessons. It will give them a sense of community, which is vital for a child's healthy development.

Soccer also teaches children hard lessons, like how to stand up for themselves and lose well. Despite our best efforts, not every game is a win. Soccer teaches kids how to work hard and improve themselves. These are important lessons even if they never play soccer past high school.

Ready to See the Benefits of Sports in Your Child's Life?

If you're looking for a fun way to add the benefits of sports to your child's life, then sign them up for soccer. Our coaches will work with your kid to help them develop the skills they need to be successful.

You can read more about our program here. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

For tips on how to prepare for tryouts, you can read our blog.