Why do People..Like Sports (WDP Series by Unshakeable #4)

After yesterday’s post about smoking, shall we talk about something healthier today? So, I told myself, what better and healthier than discussing about sports and why we love them so much!

In the past, most of our energy was directed to just surviving, now that is acquired, we now have time, energy and the need to create important challenges in our lives, to add some sort of meaning and motivation.

As our heart races and our cheeks begin to flush, we move to the edge of our seat- we can’t just get enough of either playing or watching sports.

However, isn’t strange how much excited by just running or throwing a ball? Why are we so passionately when we are involved within sports?

Hormones can control the way we feel and are stimulated by every action we take. Simply watching sports stimulates hormone levels as well.

Especially for men, scientists have found that after watching your team win, levels of testosterone skyrocket, compared to experiencing a loss.

Did you know that when your favorite athlete takes home the gold, a surge of dopamine is released? Fascinating right??

This biological rush activates pleasure centers in the brain while increasing memory and learning.

For many, sports are a way to recreate the physiological excitement they can’t seem to forget.

The brain also contains cells called mirror neurons which are not only activated when completing an action, but also when viewing it, or even hearing it. These cells are responsible for emotions such as empathy, excitement, passion etc. Certain mirror neurons will be activated when throwing a ball, seeing someone throw a ball, or even hearing the word ‘’ball’ ’It’s the reason we can put ourselves in another’s shoes, and why we experience a similar emotional and physical reaction to somebody else winning. In fact, scientists monitoring both athletes and viewers see the same parts of the brain activated – as if the spectator was playing the game.

 From an evolutionary perspective, this allows us to understand the mental states of others and interpret their actions and intentions. It also helps explain why we feel as elated about the the game-winning touchdown as the football player who catches it.

In conclusion, while people support different teams and get invested in sports for dissimilar reasons, the hormonal reactions they experience are quite the same.

The end 

By Unshakable

Thank you for your time.

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