A date at a fitness club? Four out of five Poles say “Yes!”

An active lifestyle has settled in Poland for good. More and more people see it not only as a chance to improve their own psychophysical health but also partner relationships. According to experts, positive emotions resulting from partners’ regular lifestyle can make them happier and their relationship stronger. This is confirmed by the Valentine’s Day edition of the MultiSport Index survey conducted by the Minds&Roses research agency on behalf of Benefit Systems. As many as 93% of Poles believe that physical activity undertaken jointly by partners has a positive effect on their relationship and 88% agree that physically active couples are happier. Why?

– Let me give you an example. Let’s imagine that we are late for an important meeting, which causes a conflict with the boss at work. We are in a bad mood. Does it “evaporate” the moment we leave the office? Not completely. We usually bring the emotions accumulated during a hard day home. In addition, when we are in a stable relationship and live with a partner, we most often “transfer” these emotions to them. When we are physically active on a regular basis it is much more difficult to throw us off balance, even when we face a situation we perceive as stressful. Training right after work, which will make our attention effectively move to areas not related to professional “turbulences”, and the “chemical soup in the brain” resulting from the effort that will change the way we perceive reality, is a good solution. This, in turn, will ensure we come home in a better mood and help us respond to the emotions appropriately. It is worth remembering that systematic physical activity is the most effective way to exercise. Thanks to regularity in this area we will cope with potential, stressful situations better in the future – says Dr. Iwona Piątkowska, PhD in physical culture in the field of biomedical sciences.

According to Dr. Piątkowska, physical activity, during which there is an increase in the concentration of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that improve our mood, positively affects the perception of the surrounding reality and ourselves. This is also confirmed by the Valentine’s Day MultiSport Index survey: as many as 95% of Poles believe that physical activity strengthens their self-confidence and feeling of self-attractiveness.

– From the point of view of evolution, the individual who was able to escape from danger, build a shelter or defend members of the herd was the most attractive member of the group. In addition, physical fitness was much needed, and it was the “tool for success” that determined self-esteem and self-attractiveness to a large extent. Even if such an approach seems primitive today, from the point of view of the nervous system that controls our whole life, little has changed – adds Dr. Piątkowska.

The growing awareness of Poles regarding the benefits of physical activity is also visible in the approach to the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

– As many as 77% of Poles agree that a joint visit to a sports facility is a good idea for a Valentine’s Day date or Valentine’s Day gift. It is worth mentioning that this answer is more often given by women (82%) than men (70%). The willingness to spend Valentine’s Day in an active way is also declared by 74% of people aged 65-75, meaning the age group characterised by the lowest level of physical activity in Poland. In this case, it is an important and positive signal, also for entities operating in the field of physical activity, healthy lifestyle, or prevention – comments Dr. Adam Waszkowski, Analysis Director at Benefit Systems.

The respondents were also asked during which activity the chance to meet the other half is, in their opinion, the greatest. Running/jogging was ranked first, followed by activities at the gym or in a fitness club. Riding a bike took third place.

– Social health is, in short, a person’s ability to maintain, establish and develop relationships with others. More and more scientific studies done in the last decade indicate that being surrounded by loved ones helps us maintain good health, reduces the risk of developing diseases and prolongs life, while the subjective feeling of loneliness has a negative impact on both the brain and the body. Training can be a great way to build bonds with people who are already in our lives but also the basis for creating completely new relationships. Making effort together, facing weaknesses that we overcome during workouts, and finally the pleasure we feel after physical effort create ideal circumstances for meeting people with interests and values like ours. What is very important nowadays, we get to know a real person, not a character hiding behind a phone screen – adds Dr. Iwona Piątkowska.

Every year, Poles fall more and more in love with physical activity. Currently, 57% of them train at least once a week, of which one in five (19%) is physically active five times a week or more.[1] More and more people also use sports cards offered by employers: currently, nearly 1.2 million users in Poland exercise with the MultiSport card.
[1] MultiSport Index 2022 Report

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The Valentine’s Day MultiSport Index survey was conducted on behalf of Benefit Systems by the Minds&Roses research agency between 26 January and 1 February 2023 on a representative sample of 1,001 Poles over the age of 18 using the online interview technique (CAWI).

[1] MultiSport Index 2022