Rooting for a team may be good for your mental health, according to new book

Study: Rooting for sports teams could benefit mental health

BOSTON - Rooting for a team may be good for your mental health.

A new book on sports fans reports that 61-percent of Americans experience loneliness but that non-fans tend to be lonelier than fans.

Sports fans tend to participate in fan-related activities, like fantasy football leagues or going to games, or inviting friends to watch a game on TV, which leads to greater socialization and engagement.

The authors also say fans report greater satisfaction in their careers and relationships, are more likely to vote, and are more likely to report feelings of happiness and gratitude.

But you don't have to be a fan of sports to reap the benefits. Movies, music, video games, anything that keeps you engaged with a group of people and connected with others will give you a sense of belonging and community.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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