Played by over 300 million people worldwide, badminton continues to be one of the most popular sports.
Physical activity from the world’s fastest racket sport is not just good for the body but it’s great for mental health too.
The Mental Health Foundation says physical activity is good for your mental health in general – it causes the release of endorphins and other ‘natural feel good chemicals’ that improve your mood and make you happier.
Regular badminton sessions may help with this, releasing natural brain chemicals to enhance your sense of well-being and help take your mind off worries to get away from the cycle of negative thoughts that can feed depression and anxiety.
To commemorate World Mental Health Day, we have compiled a fantastic list of reasons to get involved with badminton to help improve your health.
- Playing badminton assists in the prevention of stress.
- It helps with self-esteem enhancement and keeps away problems with weight.
- Encourages a positive attitude, self-awareness and better expression.
- Improves co-ordination, balance, agility and speed.
- Recreational badminton raises heart rates to 80-85 per cent of the players’ predicted maximum heart rate which is significantly higher for that of tennis.
- During 20 minutes of badminton, players will make at least 350 changes in direction of 90 degrees or more, building speed, strength, agility and flexibility.
- The social interaction can help build confidence and results in positive feelings after a game – plus you can play single or doubles.
- Playing a game engages your brain in a positive way by having to think about what you’re doing – whether it’s deciding where to serve, reacting quickly to a smash, or where to stand on court.
- The average person burns 475-525 calories per hour playing a social game of badminton. With a competitive game, they can burn 500-675 calories per hour.
Find your local badminton club and give it a go to see the benefits yourself.
DID YOU KNOW?
Regular play is also great for keeping hearts healthy, conditioning and strengthening the heart muscle, reducing hypertension and limiting the risk of blood vessels clogging.