Family Encyclopedia >> Sports

Tip from Marianne Timmer:The influence of sports on your mental health

Santé is a co-subsponsor of Team Continu:the skating team led by Marianne Timmer. Marianne shares a tip every day to keep fit with Santé. Today she tells more about the influence of exercise on your mental health.

Marianne: 'Exercise has a positive influence on the mind. You would think that the whole of the Netherlands is running after a ball or training for a running competition. Nothing could be further from the truth, unfortunately. Of course there are a lot of reasons to not do it or to postpone it for a while. Not now, because:moving house, busy, too much on your mind, your boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't want to come, perhaps an unpleasant period. But those are actually all the more reasons to start exercising! You feel better and more confident, so that you have better control over any problems. So in addition to physical benefits, there are also mental and emotional benefits.

Sport promotes mutual respect. In a team sport, but also in other sports you have to stick to the rules. That is part of sportsmanship. But the unwritten rules are also important; you must have respect for decisions made by umpires, for the mistakes your opponents and fellow players make, and you must realize that you want to win but it must not come at any cost. In short, sport is good for the way you interact with each other.

In short, exercise is mind-expanding. By withdrawing from the daily grind, you forget your problems for a while and you can relax in peace. Moreover, you learn to meet other people and build new contacts.'

Missed tip? Read all the tips from Marianne Timmer.