Does sport really make you happier ?

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"Don't you feel good ? So you really should play sports ! ''

If you don't practice any sporting activity, you have certainly had to repeat this sentence dozens of times and maybe you are just wondering if the sport is really likely to make you a little happier.

 Ask any runner why he chose this activity, he'll answer you invariably the same thing: '' For the well being that it gives me ''. If running is more like a prelude to torture or masochism, things quickly evolve to the point that a sufficiently long session, even intensive, can trigger a particular feeling that could be described as euphoric. It was not until the 1980s that this phenomenon was explained by science: at the end of the effort, the concentration of endorphins increase in the blood. This hormone, secreted by the brain, is somehow responsible for this state of well being that can last several hours. This is moreover not only the prerogative of runners, but is easily generalized in all activities that require some form of long endurance, such as cycling, cross-country skiing, brisk walking, etc.

It's often said that endorphins are natural antidepressants and that's true! This is, in a way, the explanation of the reason for this momentary well-being. I said momentary because a few hours later, most of this sensation will have more or less disappeared. And it will start the next day (I'm talking about your jogging session in the rain) to regouter there. So much so that the risk will be to become quickly dependent to the point of chaining the sessions daily. (you finally understand why your neighbor take his bike on Sunday at seven in the morning !).

This does not really tell us if in the end the sport makes you happier. Moreover, millions of people live very well without having to repeat the rehearsals in a gym. However, it is now perfectly proven that people who have regular physical activity are less prone to depression and lower morale. Sport can therefore be an interesting palliative, especially since it will often have the effect of improving your lifestyle. Nevertheless, do not fall into excess and in what I call "the trip of 10000 steps" (see this article: https://steemit.com/health/@valuematik/health-should-we-really-walk-10-000-steps-a-day) Don't become a drug addict endorphins and play sports first and foremost to make you happy !

Credit article : Valuematik