How our thoughts affect health and fitness

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It is important not only the number of training sessions, but also the perception of your own physical condition in comparison with those around you.

Surprising results from a new study

BBC reporters talked about a study that found a link between health and beliefs about their physical shape. If you are too strict with yourself, you can worsen your condition.

Researchers at Stanford University analyzed data on the deaths of 61,000 people. Over the course of 21 years, they recorded various performance indicators of the participants. Scientists paid special attention to how much people went in for sports and how they compared themselves in this parameter with their peers.

It turned out Perceived physical activity and mortality: Evidence from three nationally representative U. S. samples., people who thought they were doing less died at a younger age. And those who thought they were exercising more often lived longer. Although the level of activity in both groups was the same. However, other factors, such as the participants' health and smoking status, did not change the picture.

Of course, playing sports prolongs life, but our perception also affects its duration.

People who thought they were less active had a mortality risk of up to 71% compared to those who thought they were doing more. These numbers seem incredible, but they can be explained.

4 explanations for this phenomenon

1. Stress

When we are surrounded by people who do not part with their sports form, and calls for a healthy lifestyle are heard from all sides, we begin to get nervous. It seems that not enough time is devoted to training in our life. This can lead to chronic stress. And it seriously affects health.

2. Motivation

If you consider yourself active, it encourages you to study even more in order to match your own idea. This is confirmed by the research data Self-comparisons as motivators for healthy behavior. But if you are sure that you are in worse physical shape than your friends, then you are more likely to stop playing sports altogether in a year.

3. Nocebo

This is the opposite effect of placebo. It has long been known that belief in the power of drugs affects their effectiveness. There is also the opposite phenomenon - nocebo. With negative expectations, the physiological effect of the agent is reduced. Perhaps a similar process occurs with the perception of one's physical state.

4. Perception of age

In one of the studies, Intimations of mortality: perceived age of leaving middle age as a predictor of future health outcomes within the Whitehall II study. participants were asked when they thought maturity ends and old age begins. Those who considered the onset of old age to be sixty, at this age more often developed heart disease. And with those who believed that old age comes at 70 or later, this happened less often. Perhaps the first responded this way, because they already felt elderly because of poor health. Or the apparent approach of old age deprived them of the desire to go in for sports, and this worsened their health. Or they were more worried about their age, and stress negatively affected their condition.

So far, scientists do not have answers to all questions. But it is clear that the perception of one's health and fitness is very important. Therefore, try not only to play sports and enjoy it, but also not to lose motivation, comparing yourself to your super active friends.