Seeing sporting events in person boosts mental health as much as getting a job!

Scientists at Anglia Ruskin University say that watching live sporting events actually improve well-being and can reduce feelings of loneliness. The large-scale study is the first ever to examine the benefits of attending sporting events. Using sporting events as mental health therapyMoving forward, researchers behind the groundbreaking study believe attending sporting events could be used as an effective public health tool for improving loneliness and well-being. Though many current initiatives promote the benefits of physical participation in sports, few have previously studied the mental health benefits linked to watching live sporting events. “The live events covered by the survey ranged from free amateur events, such as watching village sports teams, right through to Premier League football matches,” she says.