6 Reasons golf is good for your mental health – Reader’s Digest

The link between golf and improved mental health is strong enough that golf activities are used as a form of therapy in a 2019 study. The results show mental health benefits of playing, even when the golf gods aren’t with you.

Here are six great reasons Golf it’s good for your mental health.

Golf is a difficult sport to consistently master, requiring expert timing, flexibility, speed, technique, and balance as you hit a club somewhere in the region of 80 to 110 mph. It is inevitable that you hit bad shots as well as good ones. Humility and mental strength are required to recover from such miscalculations.

“Golf teaches us to accept victories and failures alike and go all the way”

What sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella says in his aptly titled book: Golf is not a game of perfection, “A golfer has to learn to enjoy the process of striving to improve. That process, not the end result, enriches life.”

Golf teaches us to accept victories and failures alike and continue to the end. Each one of the 18 holes is another opportunity to persevere, to make an effort. It is an excellent mentality for the parallel. Resilience it is essential to cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life.

There is no doubt that the chaos and uncertainty of recent times have been challenging for mental health.

One of the benefits of golf is being in nature. You can turn off technology, news, and social media and focus on one task. It can provide a sense of calm and clarity. According to the mind mental health charity, spending time in green spaces or incorporating nature into your daily life can benefit your well-being. Getting outside has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anger.

Playing golf is a great way to get outdoors.

There is another important aspect here: vitamin D. This nutrient is equally important for mental and physical well-being. There is sufficient evidence to support the claim that vitamin D deficiency can cause symptoms of depression.

Golfers receive the benefits of sufficient vitamin D production in the body through increased exposure to sunlight.

Golf is a moderate form of exercise that has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression Playing golf helps combat anxiety by keeping the brain in active problem-solving mode. You can focus more on the game and less on the things that make you feel anxious or sad.

“Playing golf helps combat anxiety by keeping your brain in an active problem-solving mode”

The exercise and social exchanges that golfing involves help release endorphins that naturally reduce anxiety and depression, especially when you hit that once-in-a-lifetime shot over the water in the heart of the green.

If that’s not reason enough to pick up your sticks, a Swedish study from 2009 by the Karolinska Institutet Medical University showed that moderate exercise performed in sport results in a five-year increase in the life expectancy of golfers.

Golf can be a solitary game played against the course, but it is typical to play in groups of two to four golfers. Playing sports with other people helps improve your self esteem and social skills, benefiting your overall mental well-being.

Golf is a social sport.

A typical round can last more than three hours, providing a large part of social time, interacting with your group, other golfers on the course, greenkeepers and club professionals. This time can be life-saving for some people, especially young men who find it difficult to express their feelings in traditional settings to talk about mental health with friends.

There are many forum threads online with titles like Golf Saved My Life. Golf provides meaning and social interaction that helps people recover from difficult times such as duel or marital breakdown.

Friendly or with a bit of an edge, competition can be good for you. When done correctly, a competitive round of golf encourages you to challenge yourself and improve your golf skills.

“Seeing a gradual improvement provides a greater sense of self-confidence and self-esteem”

You can even measure your improvement with the golf handicap system over time. Perhaps the greatest satisfaction comes from seeing Progress in performance against fellow players. Seeing gradual improvement provides a greater sense of self-confidence and self-esteem.

the 2019 study on golf as therapy examined how people with substance use disorders or mental health problems responded to structured golf activities.

There are mental health benefits associated with exercise in general.

The study looked at how the participant’s physical and mental health, social interactions and daily activities improved during golf activities. She also discussed how they felt about their overall participation in the golf therapy group.

The main theme of the data was “Shaping a new direction in life.” Participants revealed improvements physical aptitudethe establishment of a social gathering space, increased focus and concentration, practical help and support, and decreased burden of mental symptoms.

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