Watching sports may have psychological and neurophysiological benefits, new research finds

Japanese researchers found that watching sports can have benefits psychological and neurophysiological. Led by Associate Professor Shintaro Sato from Waseda University’s Faculty of Sports Science, the research team used data analysis, surveys and neuroimaging advanced to study the impact of sports viewing on the well-being of the general population.

The research, published in Sports Management Review, addressed the challenges involved in measuring well-being – something that can often lead to biased results due to its subjective nature.

“A significant challenge in search about well-being is the subjective nature of measurement procedures, which can lead to biased results. Therefore, our studies focused on both subjective and objective measures of well-being,” said Professor Sato.

3 American football fans were found dead from frostbite in Kansas City, USA

The first phase of the study analyzed data from 20,000 Japanese residents and confirmed a pattern in which individuals who regularly watch sport have higher levels of well-being. This phase, however, was limited in its ability to probe the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

In a subsequent online survey involving 208 participants, the research team assessed well-being before and after exposure to various video clips. sports. The results revealed that popular and engaging sports, like baseball, had a more pronounced effect on increasing well-being than less popular sports, like golf.

Observation of brain activity with MRI

Perhaps most notably, another aspect of the research involved neuroimaging studies. The team used the multimodal MRI to observe changes in the brain activity of fourteen participants while they watched sports clips. The results were revealing: watching sports triggered the activation of the brain’s reward circuits, areas typically associated with feelings of happiness and pleasure.

Furthermore, people who frequently watched sports had an increased volume of Gray matter in these reward-related areas of the brain, which suggests that regular sports viewing may lead to structural changes in the brain.

“It was found that subjective and objective measures of well-being were positively influenced by practicing sports”, added Professor Sato.

“By inducing structural changes in the brain’s reward system over time, it promotes long-term benefits for individuals. For those looking to improve their overall well-being, regularly participating in sports, especially popular ones such as baseball or football, it could be a remedy effective”.

What is particularly interesting about this study is the fact that it extends existing studies on sport management, focusing not only on sport fans, but also on the general population, which suggests that regular sport consumption can be a strategy fundamental to improving the public health.