Why playing sports in adulthood keeps you mind sharp

 Many sports have one common denominator... They are made for kids to build camaraderie and teach them how to work in teams. Many peewee football players and recreational baseball players parents are not using the sport as a workout, rather a socialization tool to help their kid make friends. It is not until the high school or college level that these kids get significant workout benefits from these sports. But what about adulthood? Are there recreational baseball leagues and pickup football leagues as adults? The answer is yes, but less adults participate in adult sports leagues than should. I would argue if you're not a gym rat or iron man runner then you should be participating in these extracurricular activities in order to keep yourself fit.


I myself participate in many USTA Tennis Leagues, and golf with friends once and sometimes twice a week during the summer. This keeps my mind sharp for my day to day working activities I must complete during my engineering grad school curriculum. Studies in Alzheimer's patients showed that physical exercise reduced the rate that the Alzheimer's spread through patients' brains. Also, in longitudinal studies of people who lived past 90, many of them lifted weights and performed cardio activities literally slowing the rate that they aged. This slowed the rate of brain aging even more so than performing complex cognitive activities every day. So, get out there and get fit!


One of the best sports to participate in as an adult is tennis. The sport has grown dramatically in the past 5 years since covid, with reporting that there are 87 million players globally as of 2026. The explosion has partly come from the explosion of pickleball, and I would argue that if you're going to pick up something easy like pickleball, you should challenge yourself and try to pick up tennis. Tennis is the purest of all the racquet sports, and the hardest to pick up and get good at. I have been playing since I was 8 and have taught lessons at times. If you want to make someone athletic look unathletic fast, put a tennis racquet in their hands. Studies show that tennis players on average live 10-12 years longer than non-tennis players, so get out there and learn!


If tennis isn't your cup of tea, don't worry, just playing any sport in general on a team allows for you to exercise, socialize and build that camaraderie that many people yearn for. This goes for your beer league softball teams, pickup volleyball teams, pickup soccer teams and pickup basketball leagues. Being a part of any of these teams gives you an outlet to exercise as well as socialize with teammates. Pickup sports keep your body fit as well as keeping your mind sharp allowing for you to complete your goals and be the best version of yourself. If you are not a part of any leagues or don't go to the gym I would urge you to get out there and join, there are sports leagues for all different skill levels.

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