I'm not sure that practicing a sport is really a requirement for mental health. Getting some exercise, sure, and having non-work-related interests, sure, but prescribing "go play some sports" is a silly thing to say.
Wow, that comment summarizes a pernicious lack of value to sports in many places around the world today.
No, sports are deeply important.
It's not just about exercising your body. It's also about the game behind it, striving to overcome obstacles (external and internal), developing resilience and discipline.
And doing it with a connection between mind and body.
This will train your mind and wire your neurobiology to protect you from depression, lack of will or motivation, among other things.
It's not magical, this has been found and is supported by scientific research.
WebMD has a brief intro to the subject, if you'd like to explore. [1]
> I can say exactly the same thing about learning a musical instrument
Well, one thing being good doesn't invalidate other, unrelated things also being good.
I enjoy music a lot and played the guitar in the past. My anecdotal experience is indeed positive.
Never researched the mental health benefits from playing an instrument, though. If you have any research to point out, I'd appreciate. If I had to bet, it won't be as significant as playing a sport involving physical activity.
Most of the benefits in your citation apply to general exercise as much as they do to sports. There may be some extra mental health benefit of team sports in particular but relative to simply being fit and having hobbies that involve other people, I don't think it's gargantuan. The most mentally healthy people I've known personally have been deeply invested in something outside of work; I've seen no association between apparent mental health and whether someone plays a sport (unless perhaps you define "sport" broadly to include running or biking noncompetitively).
> Never researched the mental health benefits from playing an instrument, though.
Wow, that comment summarizes a pernicious lack of value to sports in many places around the world today.
No, sports are deeply important.
It's not just about exercising your body. It's also about the game behind it, striving to overcome obstacles (external and internal), developing resilience and discipline.
And doing it with a connection between mind and body.
This will train your mind and wire your neurobiology to protect you from depression, lack of will or motivation, among other things.