Want to live longer? Then take up tennis? (2024)

If you want to live a longer life, then one of the best forms of exercise to take up is tennis!
Tennis is great fun, it is a focused sport that requires concentration, tactical thinking and alertness and an exercise that helps to release feel-good endorphins, keeping you fit and happy!

I played tennis as a teenager, and later on with my children when they were young, but not recently. I used to love a trip to the tennis courts with my mum but did you know that playing tennis can increase life expectancy by an average of 9.7 years. There is clearly a reason why we hear of so many older people taking up racquet sports. Racquet sports include tennis and the newly popular pickleball and paddle ball. For badminton players it's 6.2 years so still pretty good!

If you are ready to live a healthier life, read on to find out just why tennis is the best sport for extending life expectancy ...

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Tennis is the best sport for increasing life expectancy!

Cardiovascular health- tennis has a massive impact on helping to prevent future cardiovascular disease, a cardiovascular health study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that playing racquet sports significantly reduces the risk of death from heart disease. Tennis demands continuous movement, so your heart rate increases to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, this improves aerobic fitness as well as providing a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

Stress reduction and mental health- playing a game of tennis requires planning and thinking meaning it is a tactical sport that is great for brain training, tennis releases endorphins 'our happy hormones' and has a massive positive effect on mental health, stress and those prone to depression.

Social support- we all need people around us and tennis in particular is fantastic for creating social interaction with others, you are meeting people and making new friends at the tennis club and if you are a regular tennis player then the benefits will improve health and longevity over time. There is known to be a positive link between social connections and increased life expectancy, the support of fellow tennis players, the camaraderie and social life have a big impact on wellbeing. The social aspect of playing a racquet sport is one of the main reasons both men and women take up tennis in retirement. Studies have shown that social isolation and feeling lonely are associated with increased health problems including heart disease, depression and poor memory.

Joint health, flexibility and strength- tennis is a full body workout that works the muscles in your arms, shoulders, back and core, the repetitive arm movements tone your upper body and the moving and jumping tone your lower body. These repetitive movements contribute to both flexibility and strength and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal issues later in life, keeping you active for longer and avoiding the limited mobility that often comes with advancing years. Research has also concluded that tennis players have stronger bones and increased bone density, which can help prevent osteoporosis during menopause and beyond. And if you are worried about falls in later life then tennis is good for your balance, if you have good balance you are less likely to fall over!

Weight management- if you want to lose weight, or maintain your weight, then tennis can help! Did you know that it is possible to cover a distance of 5 miles in an hour long tennis match, that is the equivalent of 10k steps and burns up to 550 calories.

There was a resurgence of people choosing to play tennis and other racquet sports during the pandemic because it was a fantastic way to be active, create social engagement and keep socially distant!! And the trend continues, especially for those of us in midlife who look back with fond memories of playing tennis at school and the new modern games of paddle ball and pickleball coming along! My mum was a big table tennis fan (ping pong) and actually very good at it! From an historical perspective everyone feels nostalgic about Wimbledon which started in 1877 and we still love to watch today.