READING, England, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
A survey undertaken by chocolate milk drink, Mars Refuel, has confirmed that, while it is well documented that participating in sports can be good for your physical health, it can also be great for your mental wellbeing too.
In addition to the social benefits, playing sport as part of a team or as an individual can also stimulate endorphins, which are one of the body's natural feel good chemicals. This is why people often say they feel a "buzz" after doing exercise or taking part in sport.
The research, which was carried out amongst people who are currently active sports participants and those that aren't, revealed 4 in 10 sports participants always feel more positive after taking part in sport, with an additional third saying they almost always feel more positive after doing so.
Interestingly, more than a third (38%) of people who don't currently participate in sport but once did said they could remember feeling positive after playing sport when they were younger, with almost a third (32%) saying they believed they would benefit from taking part in sport now for that reason.
The research also revealed that the biggest perceived barriers preventing people from taking part in sport are a lack of motivation (32%), finding time (28%) and the cost (18%).
While Mars Refuel can't add more hours to the day, it is encouraging people to get back into sport, whether inspired by the incredible summer of sport that lies ahead of us, or simply to enjoy the positive impact it has on physical and mental wellbeing.
The Mars Refuel Drink Fund, which was set up to encourage people to try new sports and play their favourite sport for longer, will open for entries from April 2 2012. Mars Refuel Drink Fund has one gold (£1000), two silver (£500) and eight bronze (£250) awards to donate to the most deserving applicants every month for the next six months.
Applications can be made online at http://www.marsrefuel.com offering support with anything from equipment and travel costs, to improving training grounds and club houses. The fund will be accepting applications from April 2 2012.
The fund is open to residents of, and clubs and organisations based in the UK and Republic of Ireland only. Applicants must be 12 years or over and only one application will be accepted per person, club or organisation.
Mars Refuel is a great source of protein, carbohydrate, calcium and vitamin B. It's the milk goodness in Mars Refuel that provides the optimum 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein that helps people to go 50% longer**.
MARS® is a registered trademark of Mars 2012.
* The research for Mars Refuel was carried out by Opinion Matters between :17/02/2012 and 29/02/2012. Sample: 2001 UK Adults
** Research by Northumbria University, February 2007. Results based on equivalent drinks volumes
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