Benefits of playing Football – Part 9

Mental health is something that has almost taken center stage over the last 10 years and it would be silly to think that football does not influence this. Lets start with how can football effect mental health. Buckle up this is the last of the what I would determine to be the three main areas of what makes up someone’s life and its going be a big one. So, how can football help mental health? Its actually largely a combination of the other two areas physical and social.

In combination with the physical aspect, exercise releases endorphins which make you feel good. The feeling good part is what I would say is an effect on mental health. The lines are blurred as we are one holistic system not 3 separate components. Footballs benefit is that for most teams this occurs twice a week once at training and once at the game. As you get to a higher level this increases even more.

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has actually put on weight during a football season (injuries aside). Football being the very active sport that it is can certainly contribute to an individual losing weight and gaining muscle. This would therefore make someone appear more athletic which is what many people desire, what guy wouldn’t want to look like Cristiano Ronaldo. This change in body composition can lead to a better self image and a sense of pride in what an individual looks like. How many people do you think can confidently say I am proud of what I look like. Not many, people may say that they wouldn’t change a thing regardless and I 100% agree but even myself even though I am not fat I would still like to have a 6-pack (Pasta and Ice Cream be damned). The point being, football can lead to a more athletic look that can make an individual happier with how they’re body looks.