High school sports are about more than just having fun with friends. Long after the memories have faded, athletics will continue to have a positive effect on a high school athlete’s life. Here are four of the long-term benefits of getting in shape while young.
Improve your cognitive abilities
Research has shown that exercise continues to help brain function even years after an athlete stops exercising. In one study, a group of 18 to 30-year olds was asked to run on a treadmill for as long as they could. Twenty-five years later, they were asked to do the same thing. The average time they lasted fell from 10 minutes to 2.9 minutes from the first to the second test.
After the second running test, they were given a test that measured their cognitive abilities. Those that ran longer in the first running test scored higher, and those that ran the longest both times did the best overall on the cognitive test.
Stay healthy
Regular exercise has also been shown to keep people healthier. Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest killers in Western culture. Numerous studies have found that people who kept fit while young are at a lower risk for heart attack causing diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes later in life. One group of researchers said that these diseases would happen 30% less frequently in the United States if all young adults kept fit.
Build discipline
for other areas of life
Many businesses prefer to hire athletes, and lower health insurance costs aren’t the main reason. The discipline needed to get up early or to otherwise make time to train when sick, hurt, busy with other things, or facing bad weather translates well into other areas of life. An employee who was a high school athlete will likely find it far easier to get up early even on days when they hate their job and to keep working until the task at hand is done.
Build healthy habits early
Staying fit requires a high level of discipline. Exercise takes time, and maintaining a diet that allows a strong performance also takes work. Once in the working world, it becomes very easy to feel that there isn’t enough time in the day to get fit and eat right. Picking up these habits in high school makes them part of who a person is and makes it far easier to carry the healthy habits on later in life.
Four Ways Getting In Shape While Young Helps Later In Life
By Erin F.
Source
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/5158/20140404/running-helps-young-adults-keep-the-brain-fit-later-in-life-study.htm, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/4909.php
