Padel: Your Shortcut to Dopamine High

TA View into the World of Padel -

The bright, neon ball flies off the racket, the sound of its impact cutting through the nerve-racking tension hanging in the air. Enclosed in the court’s four walls of glass, all the spectators outside can only hold their breath in excitement for that final point. From that first serve, the court erupts with sounds of rackets clashing against the ball in a dizzying rally, each player moving their feet on the turf, as they race back and forth from the net to the baseline in hopes of finishing off the set point. Countless minutes pass, each players’ competitive energy starting to dwindle, and when it seems like it could really go on forever, the point ends with a shot to the unprotected left corner of the court, making a return impossible between where the two glass panels meet. The tension from the last point is finally broken by the roars and cheers from the winning team, every person pressed outside the glass intent on congratulating them on their victory. All four players shake hands, the words, “good game” and “great point” shared between the four participants as they walk off the court, everyone already eagerly anticipating doing it all over again tomorrow.

So what keeps people coming back everyday? The reason is more than just enjoying the game and wanting to get some movement in. The way you feel when you exercise and challenge yourself, the connection between you and the other players, and that constant rush of happiness and excitement all play into the addictive quality padel possesses.

The Dopamine Effect -

When you do something difficult, like learning a new sport, what’s actually happening to your brain is an influx in endorphins and dopamine. The Healthline defines dopamine, explaining that it is the strongest “happy hormone”, and plays a big role in your mood and feelings of joy. Exercise, in general, helps produce endorphins, which in turn create more dopamine in your brain, and then elevates your mood and starts a cycle of wanting to feel that way on a regular basis. While your brain is not seriously “addicted” to those endorphins, you still start to crave that dopamine boost and your brain counteracts that need in other ways. Your brain registers it as an addiction to the actions that create the dopamine boost, not the dopamine itself. Neurologically, that need for dopamine is what essentially causes a fixation on padel and the need to constantly chase that after-sport high.

Padel and the Power of Connection -

In addition to those feelings of happiness, the socializing aspect of padel contributes to the fact that connecting with other individuals is a necessary part of being human. The Mayo Clinic talks about the importance of connection and that socializing should be incorporated into all aspects of our lives, as it contributes to our brain health, physical health, and overall emotional well-being. As opposed to other sports, padel’s ability to be played in smaller courts and with four people at a time creates a larger sense of connection and make it a more sociable sport. Since you have to play in doubles, it also fosters an environment dependent on teamwork and communication; both skills necessary in life.

Building Confidence & Resilience through Small Wins -

Though we face challenges constantly in our everyday lives, it's the types of challenges that really either benefit you or create more problems. A misconception a lot of individuals have is that they should tackle something that seems incredibly difficult by just facing it head on and seeing what happens. When you immediately try to overcome a complicated challenge like learning a new sport, those constant attempts with little to no progress can contribute to a decline in confidence and a growth in burnout; leaving you feeling worse than when you first decided to try. While doing difficult things is great for your brain and evolving as a person, sources say there are many benefits to shifting instead towards constant, small challenges. Michigan Brain Health talks about our brain’s amazing ability to consistently adapt and change through life. This is done by forming neural connections and is fed by intellectual stimulation and challenging yourself. When done successfully, that can lead to stronger mental resilience and becoming okay with being outside your comfort zone. In addition to this, these smaller goals provide you with a bigger boost of confidence from overcoming something on a regular basis and create a pattern of growth. Padel is a sport that allows you to do just that. Instead of being highly technique-based and requiring countless hours of practice just to start to enjoy yourself, like many other sports, the ability to quickly pick up padel and have fun almost immediately after learning the game makes it an even more desirable skill.

All in all, the recent padel craze is mostly due to the fact that it is challenging but not impossible, it is competitive but still allows you to connect with others and have fun, and it amplifies all those feelings of happiness that contribute to making all of us better individuals. Padel is a sport that you are not only playing to win, but you are playing to reap all the benefits it offers, which keep you coming back for more, day after day.

Interested? Find more by Elahe here!

ABOUT ELAHE

Elahe Zandy is 16 years old and a 10th grade student at Centner Academy. Her interest in journalism comes from an overall love for writing and expressing her thoughts on paper, as well as just a passion for learning about what is going on in the world. Last year, she had her first experience in the competitive world of writing, since she participated in the Emmerse Essay Competition, resulting in winning a scholarship for a summer program. Being a part of the Centner Academy journalism program has been a great experience to understand all the different aspects of the profession and the importance of news. In addition to enjoying writing, Elahe spends her time playing on the Centner Academy Tennis Team and co-chairing the Field Trip Fundraising Club.