Which Sports Help You Live Longer and Grow Your Brain
Sent to subscribers on Aug 27, 2024. Reproduced here as it was written.
I'm Jacob Katz, and this is The Renewal: an independent, subscriber-supported health newsletter that summarizes free tools for everyday life.
Your fleeting time here is irreversible. Father Time is strapped with his hourglass and scythe and he's on the prowl. But with a swift tennis racket bash to the head, you can hold him off.
People who play racket sports live almost 10 years longer than everybody else - table tennis, pickleball, tennis.
The rapid decision-making and strategic play activate your cerebellum - the little brain. The cerebellum is only 10% of the brain's volume, but holds half the brain's neurons. And if you activate the cerebellum, it turns on the rest of your brain.
Playing racket sports also reduces all-cause mortality by 47%. You're combining high-intensity cardiovascular activity, social interaction, coordination, and strategy.
So I'm a huge fan of table tennis, pickle ball, tennis, squash. Most sports offer health benefits. But racket sports are the champions of life extension.
If you're athletic, but avoid sports because of poor hand-eye coordination, this is for you. Watch some videos on how to hit the ball. Then play. You'll probably need a racket and some balls too.
No need to conquer the world, focus on being good. Spend 30 minutes twice a week - it will have a major impact on your ability to think. You have to get your eyes, hands, and feet all working together - while you're thinking about the spin on the ball. Think about it as aerobic chess.
Now let's compare the longevity of other sports.
Sports That Increase Your Life Expectancy
Tennis - Can add 9.7 years to life expectancy.
Badminton - Adds 6.2 years.
Table Tennis - Adds 6-9 extra years. The World's Brain Sport.
Pickle Ball - Adds 6-9 years. Fastest growing sport in the USA.
Golf - Adds up to 5 years. Walking and talking, like an affluent social club.
Soccer - Adds 4.7 years. World's most popular sport, the beautiful game.
Cycling - Adds 3.7 years. Great for your heart. 15% reduction in all-cause mortality.
Swimming - Adds 3.4 years. 28% reduction in all-cause mortality. Gentle on the joints.
Running/Jogging - Adds 3.2 years. Stimulates growth of new brain cells - neurogenesis.
Dancing (Zumba, Ballroom) - Adds 3.1 years. Keeps you coordinated, delays dementia. Reduces all-cause mortality by 27%.
Gym bros, keep lifting, but please add some coordination to the mix. Your brain isn't a muscle, so it might seem pointless. But it's key to delaying life's finish line.
P.S. Sports That Decrease Your Life Expectancy
Football - Cuts 10 years from your lifespan. Thanks CTE.
Combat Sports (MMA, Boxing) - Punching the brain reduces life expectancy by 5 years.
Or if you're keen to counteract those benefits and live just as long as intended, give chess-boxing a try.
See you next Tuesday young padawan,
Jacob & The Renewal team