Playing for Better Health
Whether we’re young or old, we all need to play. It’s not a luxury, but a necessity, as our bodies are wired for it and soon become unhappy when we neglect to play; you can think of it like sleep, if we miss out we become sleep deprived and equally we can become play deprived. Both our mental and physical health can receive a boost from regular play, helping us to live happier and healthier lives. It’s fair to say that play adds life to our years and years to our life. Here we look at exactly what and how our bodies can gain from play.
Stress release
A lot of us live hectic lives and that’s not just adults, as kids’ lives are increasingly filled with more and more to do; it’s no wonder that play is sometimes squeezed out. However, removing play from the equation is the worst thing you could possibly do, as play can be considered as the perfect antidote to stress. Through the joy and laughter that play brings, it can relax us and provides us with a great sense of freedom; something that is missing when our lives become constrained. Our worries can slip away while we are engaged in play, providing a much needed break from the stresses of everyday life, which if we are not careful we can become lost under. Not only does play help to provide a stress release for us, but it enables us to build on our skills in areas such as problem solving and adaptability, which we can use to help us to work through our problems. Overall play gives us a healthy way of managing stress, which can provide another avenue for people who are tempted by or have previously turned to alcohol or drugs; indeed play could become part of the process of drug treatment programs, where rehabilitation fosters a holistic approach.
Boosts mood
Who doesn’t feel happy when they are playing? Having fun with others and sharing the experience has a lot to do with why we can derive so much pleasure from play. However, just watching others play and enjoy themselves can be enough in itself to improve our mood. We can think of life as like a see-saw, where at one end all the difficulties sit and at the other everything positive is placed; play can help to lift up the positive end and keep things in balance. Play also helps us to feel recharged and refreshed, so with a more positive outlook we’re able to get on with whatever the next task in hand is with a smile on our face.
Increases energy levels
A lot of us rely on cups of coffee, energy bars and anything else that we think will help to get us through the day. However, while our energy levels initially pick up with these stimulants, they crash after their effects wear off. Play on the other hand can provide you with a sustained energy lift and rather than using anything artificial, works through natural chemical processes within the body.
Benefits motor skills
It’s not just kids who benefit from this aspect while they are developing, if we don’t test aspects such as manual dexterity and hand eye co-ordination as we age, we struggle to maintain these abilities. Juggling or doing tricks with a Frisbee are easier than they look, but with a bit of practice you will have perfected them and have improved your motor skills into the bargain.
Expends energy
Even when we’re at rest we burn calories, but anything that gets us moving such as play increases the amount of energy that we use and therefore the calories we burn. We’re always hearing about how as a nation more of us are becoming overweight, so play represents the perfect way to fight back against our increasing waist lines. Not only does regular play have the potential to prevent weight gain, but in doing so the risk of various chronic diseases can be reduced including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
After hearing about all the health benefits that play brings with it, there’s only one possible conclusion – we all should try to play more. Yes, we’re all busy, but are we really too busy to fit in 15 minutes of play to our lives each day?
Whether we’re young or old, we all need to play. It’s not a luxury, but a necessity, as our bodies are wired for it and soon become unhappy when we neglect to play; you can think of it like sleep, if we miss out we become sleep deprived and equally we can become play deprived. Both our mental and physical health can receive a boost from regular play, helping us to live happier and healthier lives. It’s fair to say that play adds life to our years and years to our life. Here we look at exactly what and how our bodies can gain from play.
Stress release
A lot of us live hectic lives and that’s not just adults, as kids’ lives are increasingly filled with more and more to do; it’s no wonder that play is sometimes squeezed out. However, removing play from the equation is the worst thing you could possibly do, as play can be considered as the perfect antidote to stress. Through the joy and laughter that play brings, it can relax us and provides us with a great sense of freedom; something that is missing when our lives become constrained. Our worries can slip away while we are engaged in play, providing a much needed break from the stresses of everyday life, which if we are not careful we can become lost under. Not only does play help to provide a stress release for us, but it enables us to build on our skills in areas such as problem solving and adaptability, which we can use to help us to work through our problems. Overall play gives us a healthy way of managing stress, which can provide another avenue for people who are tempted by or have previously turned to alcohol or drugs; indeed play could become part of the process of drug treatment programs, where rehabilitation fosters a holistic approach.
Boosts mood
Who doesn’t feel happy when they are playing? Having fun with others and sharing the experience has a lot to do with why we can derive so much pleasure from play. However, just watching others play and enjoy themselves can be enough in itself to improve our mood. We can think of life as like a see-saw, where at one end all the difficulties sit and at the other everything positive is placed; play can help to lift up the positive end and keep things in balance. Play also helps us to feel recharged and refreshed, so with a more positive outlook we’re able to get on with whatever the next task in hand is with a smile on our face.
Increases energy levels
A lot of us rely on cups of coffee, energy bars and anything else that we think will help to get us through the day. However, while our energy levels initially pick up with these stimulants, they crash after their effects wear off. Play on the other hand can provide you with a sustained energy lift and rather than using anything artificial, works through natural chemical processes within the body.
Benefits motor skills
It’s not just kids who benefit from this aspect while they are developing, if we don’t test aspects such as manual dexterity and hand eye co-ordination as we age, we struggle to maintain these abilities. Juggling or doing tricks with a Frisbee are easier than they look, but with a bit of practice you will have perfected them and have improved your motor skills into the bargain.
Expends energy
Even when we’re at rest we burn calories, but anything that gets us moving such as play increases the amount of energy that we use and therefore the calories we burn. We’re always hearing about how as a nation more of us are becoming overweight, so play represents the perfect way to fight back against our increasing waist lines. Not only does regular play have the potential to prevent weight gain, but in doing so the risk of various chronic diseases can be reduced including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
After hearing about all the health benefits that play brings with it, there’s only one possible conclusion – we all should try to play more. Yes, we’re all busy, but are we really too busy to fit in 15 minutes of play to our lives each day?
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