Sports: The Key to a Healthy and Active Life

The human body is just like a machine. If we do not take proper care of it and stop using the machine regularly, it gradually stops functioning properly. In the same way, if we don’t move or exercise regularly, our bodies may become vulnerable to many diseases or health problems. The thing about exercise is that it can be done in different ways, it does not necessarily have to be running on a treadmill or lifting heavy gym equipment.

I found that playing sports is one of the best forms of exercise a person can do regularly. It is relaxing, interesting and helpful for the body at the same time. Everyone should play sports regularly for a healthy and sound life.

Some people may not know all of the details, but playing sports or exercising regularly not only helps to improve the appearance of the body, but it also improves blood circulation, heart health and many other functions as well. There are many sports out there which a person can play, but I found that basketball, soccer and badminton are the most beneficial of them. These kinds of sports are the ones that engage every single part of your body. Sports are not only for young people. Nowadays, older people also participate in various sports either in their backyards or at community centers. I would recommend sports like badminton, table tennis, and cricket for them since they’re not as physically demanding, but still help them to be more physically fit and active, which is very important for them.

I only started getting into sports a few years ago.  Back then, I thought playing sports was boring and just a waste of time. I used to play video games while sitting in my gaming chair for hours. It gave me a lot of pleasure and was fun, but the harmful blue light coming from the computer affected my eyesight, and I began to experience difficulty seeing objects far away from me. Not only that, but I started to suffer from back pain and headaches a lot. When I went to my family doctor and told him about my schedule, he was concerned and advised me to reduce the time of computer use and to play sports instead. I already liked soccer, cricket and badminton, and I was good at them but I also learned how to play basketball and volleyball, and it didn’t take long before  I started to like these sports too. Playing with my friends helped me a lot to improve my performance. So, I became an active member of my school’s sports team.

The first few months were really challenging, but my teacher and friends were really helpful and supportive of me. Within a few days, I felt more energetic and stronger, and gradually my body began to improve too. 

I felt more confident, and I was excited to show my doctor the changes I’ve made when I went to see him again some months later. He told me I was doing well and my body looked a lot better than before. From that day on, I committed to myself that I would continue to play sports regularly rather than sitting in my gaming chair and playing GTA 5 for five hours straight.

One of the most important things that a lot of people don’t consider is that we should not start playing any sports without warming up properly first. When I started playing in my school team, I used to see a lot of my classmates warming up before starting any sport. I thought it was useless and that they were just showing off. However, I never knew that warming up was so important before starting a game. I started realizing it when I suddenly came to the ground from my Marketing class and started playing soccer. Everything was going well until I felt a sharp pain in my leg, as if something had cracked. It was extremely painful. My teacher came up to me and explained that warming up before play is what prepares our bodies. It increases our heart rate, body temperature and safely prepares both our cardiovascular and nervous systems so they’re not thrown into shock or injured during play. I was out of the sports class for nearly two weeks. When I finally recovered, I came to the ground and to this day, I never start to play a single sport without warming up properly.

I think playing sports is a personal choice, but staying healthy is not. Because if a person is living an unhealthy lifestyle, their family and loved ones also suffer. Playing sports helps us by keeping us healthy, active, and more focused, in a way that video games or hours of doom-scrolling cannot. So make sports your best friend for a good life and happiness.