Pickleball Isn’t Just Fun—It’s Good for Your Mind, Too
- Pure Pickleball
- Oct 24
- 3 min read
TL;DR: A new systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology finds that playing pickleball is linked with higher happiness and life satisfaction, lower depression, and stronger social connection—especially in older adults. That’s exactly why we’ve built Pure Pickleball around play, people, and purpose.
The headline: play more, feel better
Physical activity is a proven mood-booster, but what about newer sports like pickleball? A 2025 systematic review (Lauxtermann & Stubbs) pulled together 14 studies (n=1,403) on pickleball and padel to see how they relate to mental health, wellbeing, and mental fatigue.
The short story for pickleball: the benefits are real.
Happiness: Pickleball participation correlated with higher happiness.
Life satisfaction: Regular play predicted better life satisfaction (not just general community involvement).
Depression: Players reported lower depressive symptoms.
Social capital: Stronger feelings of trust, safety, and belonging in the community.
Who gains most? Many studies looked at adults 50+, but younger players are coming fast—so there’s every reason to think these benefits scale across ages.
In the U.S., pickleball participation rose 223.5% from 2020–2023, mirroring what we’re seeing here in the UK: people pick it up because it’s welcoming, tactical, and social from day one.
Why pickleball hits different
Pickleball is played on a smaller court with a slower (perforated) ball, so the technical barrier stays low while the social and strategy sides shine. That combination matters: the review shows fun + connection are major drivers of the mental health effect. You get meaningful rallies, shared laughs, and quick wins—even if you’re new. That’s rocket fuel for motivation and mood.
What about performance pressure and fatigue?
Most of the performance-anxiety and mental-fatigue research in the review came from padel, not pickleball. It shows that consecutive matches can build mental fatigue and dent accuracy, and pre-competition anxiety fluctuates with context (rank, round, result). That’s a useful nudge for our competitive pickleballers and league players:
Pure Pickleball coaching takeaways:
Space your tough matches where possible; don’t cram maximal focus games back-to-back.
Warm up the mind (simple decision-making drills, serve targets, pattern recall) before you chase precision.
Use “light then load”: start sessions with feel and flow, then layer pressure.
De-brief, don’t ruminate: a two-minute “what worked/one tweak” reflection keeps confidence higher for the next match.
The review also points out a research gap: we need more pickleball-specific studies on performance-related mental factors (anxiety, fatigue) across different age groups. We agree—and we’re building formats that keep intensity appropriate while still delivering competitive thrills.
Community is a mental health multiplier
One standout finding: during COVID restrictions, when people played and socialised less, loneliness and lower mental health showed up among pickleballers. Translation: the court is more than lines and a net—it’s a social safety net. That’s why our sessions emphasise:
Welcomes & pair-ups so no one stands around.
Small-sided formats that keep you chatting and rallying.
Post-play hangouts to turn “drop-in” into “I belong here.”
New to pickleball? Here’s how to start (and feel great doing it)
Book an Intro to Pickleball: We’ll lend paddles, match you up, and get you rallying in minutes.
Join Open Play: Meet your local crew, find partners at your level, and leave with a smile.
Try a League: Light competition, loads of reps, friendly vibes.
No membership barriers. Pay-as-you-play. Big welcome guaranteed.
The fine print (and the big opportunity)
The review is honest about limitations: small, mostly observational studies; lots of self-report; and heavy focus on certain countries and age groups. That said, the signal is clear: pickleball reliably supports happiness, life satisfaction, reduced depression, and social integration. As the sport grows, so will the research—especially around performance mental skills for all ages.
At Pure Pickleball, we’re not waiting. We’re already building sessions and leagues that put mental wellbeing at the heart of the game—because better days often start with a better rally.
Ready to feel it for yourself?
Join us at Pure Pickleball in Cheshire. Grab a friend (or come solo), pick up a paddle, and discover why the fastest-growing sport might also be the feel-good one.
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