Games Aren’t Just for Fun – They’re Good for Your Health!
Are video games just good fun, or are they actually good for your health? This sounds like an odd question, but it’s one that many people have been asking more and more in recent years. Read on to find out more about how video games are good for your health – and even offer some tips on how you can use video games to improve your overall health and well-being!
We need more play in our lives:
With so much focus on work and productivity, it’s no wonder that we’re becoming a nation of unhealthier, depressed people. But play is vital to our well-being. In fact, most forms of exercise are rooted in games or mimic them. The next time you find yourself at a loss for how to stay active, try playing some real games instead of going through your usual routine. If you don’t have any board games handy, there are plenty of free online options as well—though they might not be quite as fun as Monopoly or Jenga!
And if you really can’t stand to lose (or win), challenge yourself with video games like Wii Sports or Kinect Adventures . It may seem silly, but there’s no denying that getting off your butt and moving around will make you feel better. Who knows? You might even find a new hobby along the way!
Improves mood and stress
Video games like Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed may be good for your mental health. A review published in 2013 found that first-person shooter games help reduce feelings of anger and aggression, whereas role-playing games helped improve mood and sleep quality. If you play video games already, it might be fun to explore something different; if you don’t, try picking up a new game today.
You may find that you’re also more productive at work after playing a game. A review published in 2011 found that employees who played action video games were able to increase their performance in tests of attention and information processing.
Helps us develop empathy and social skills:
A recent study in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that playing video games helps us develop empathy by making us better at reading others’ intentions. This is especially true in cooperative games, which require players to coordinate their actions toward a common goal.
Video games are also effective at teaching complex social behaviors. A study in PLOS One found that preschoolers who played a three-dimensional game designed to teach them about cooperation and how to share resources were better able to apply those skills in real life than kids who had simply read stories about sharing or watched videos on it.
Fosters creativity:
According to a study in Perspectives on Psychological Science, playing video games can stimulate new connections in your brain and challenge your mind by developing different pathways. You don’t have to play hard-core games to get these cognitive benefits—even basic arcade or puzzle games can do it. In fact, studies show that people who play video games are better at multitasking than those who don’t. This may be because gaming requires you to switch between different tasks quickly as you move through levels. In addition, some research suggests that gaming may help improve memory skills.
Strengthens memory and concentration:
As you grow older, your body will naturally start to slow down. You’ll notice that your reactions aren’t as quick as they used to be, and you may find it harder to concentrate. Video games can help keep your mind young. Gamers who perform well at a complex video game will typically improve memory and concentration abilities within just a few days of beginning their new hobby.
The human brain is a complex and intricate organ, with millions of pathways, each responsible for different functions. As you get older, your brain cells may start to deteriorate and lose functionality. Video games can help keep your mind young by providing an activity that’s challenging but stimulating enough to encourage cell growth. Researchers have found that some types of video games can also slow down mental decline associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
You’re probably aware that games can be addictive and harmful to your health, but what you may not know is that there are actually games designed to improve your health. Games like Brain Age and Lumosity are designed to strengthen your brain. By focusing on a variety of mental tasks like pattern recognition, memory, and concentration, these kinds of games can actually help keep you healthy as you age.
Games train our brains:
According to Dr. Daphne Bavelier, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at University of Rochester who has spent over a decade studying how video games affect our brains, action games are good for our brains because they train us to make decisions quickly, move faster, and perceive our environment more accurately than we would otherwise. And that’s really important: The world around us is changing faster than ever before. We need all of our skills just to keep up with it.
Thanks to action games, our brains are much better at multitasking. According to Bavelier, we’re also able to recall more of what we see and do, which is helpful when trying to pay attention in a high-stress environment or follow directions while carrying out a complicated task like operating heavy machinery.
Game on!
Studies have shown that playing games can reduce stress and improve memory. In one experiment, a group of nurses played Wii bowling for 20 minutes after working a 12-hour shift; those who participated showed greater improvements in their mental focus than those who did not. Nintendo isn’t just good for your body—it’s also good for your mind.
Another study found that people who played a series of games over eight weeks demonstrated increased activity in a region of their brain associated with memory function. Interestingly, those with lower baseline activity experienced larger increases. Even when you’re not actively playing a game, they can still help your health.
Final words:
There is nothing more important than good health. In order to feel and be healthy, we need certain elements to live a happy and active life. Some of these things are food, water, air and exercise. An often overlooked element that promotes health is fun. And video games can help provide some of that fun by promoting exercise. The next time you’re looking for something to do or just want to have some fun with your friends, try playing a game or two. You may just find yourself in better shape than you thought possible!