Traditionally video gaming has been seen as detrimental to many aspects of people’s lives. Media critics have long suggested that it makes people less sociable and in addition to that, video gaming has also been blamed for a number of societal ills.
However, away from the destructive media narrative there is evidence to suggest that video gaming is actually beneficial to our mental and physical well-being in moderation. Your cognition, memory and sociability can all improve from playing video games.
There are also mental benefits too including the release of dopamine and the escape from stress and worry that games provide. In this article we take a look at the specific ways in which just 30 minutes a day of gaming can improve your health, both mentally and physically.
Stress Release
The modern world has done a lot of good for humans, but it has also done a lot of bad. Whilst we are now living longer and easier lives than ever before, our collective levels of stress have risen to unprecedented highs.
In a recent survey 74% of British citizens admitted to having felt so stressed at some point in their lives that they were unable to cope. Globally stress levels have risen by 20% in the last three decades.
Social media, the rise in remote working and a decrease in leisure time have all contributed to this vast increase in stress. The key to reducing stress, according to many experts is the ability to step out of our thoughts and focus on the present.
It is useful to think of stress as water, slowly filling up a bottle. Once the water reaches the top of the bottle it will overflow and spill. In order to avoid this we need to take a minute to either empty the bottle or turn off the water supply.
There are many ways that we can do that. Mindfulness and mediation is one way that allows people to ‘empty the bottle’ and step away from their stress. However, meditation isn’t for everyone and it can be hard to get into.
One fun and easy way to remain present and ‘empty the bottle’ is to play video games. It requires no previous understanding or training, and is simply a way to take your mind off external stresses.
In addition to this, video games are fun and as such playing those releases the feel good chemical dopamine into your brain. So, by playing games, you’re not only taking some time to release stress but you’re actually boosting your mood at the same time.
There are many ways to reduce our stress levels, if video gaming doesn’t work for you try these techniques.
Sociability
The old video game stereotype is that of a teenager sat in a darkened room on a sunny day, isolating themselves to play a game. Like almost all stereotypes, that is false.
Video gaming need not be a solitary experience enjoyed on your own, in fact it can be a highly social experience. Most video games are now played online which opens you up to a large community of players with similar shared interests.
There are also games that have been specifically designed to encourage social interaction like online bingo. Traditionally bingo halls were a hub of sociability, which is something many online providers have tried to recreate.
If you were to play bingo online you would find large chat rooms of like-minded players looking to have fun, win money and converse in equal measure.
Memory & Cognition
Globally there are more than 50 million people suffering from dementia with a further 10 million cases being confirmed every year. In many countries such as the USA and the UK the growth of dementia is seen as a public health emergency.
Whilst there is no cure for the disease there are certain things that you can do to help decrease your risk level of developing dementia. One way is to keep your brain active and challenged.
Traditionally people have tried to do this through completing puzzles and playing brain training games. However recent research suggests that similar outcomes can be reached from video gaming.
When we play video games three parts of our brains are activated. The prefrontal cortex which is responsible for decision making, social behaviour, personality and cognitive planning is activated even from playing simple and inane games.
Then there is the right hippocampus which is vital for how we process and consolidate information including short and long term memory. Finally our cerebellum, which is responsible for motor skills and muscular activity is also activated.
Holistically this is great for our brains and shows that video gaming is the equivalent of a mental work out.
Physical Benefits
There is little point starting this section by claiming that video games can help to shrink your waistline and boost your cardio game. Unfortunately the act of sitting in the same spot for hours is unlikely to be good for your physical health, regardless of how much you sweat!
That is unless of course you are playing a video game that requires you to be mobile. Wii Fit is perhaps the best example of a game that can help to keep you in tip-top physical shape.
The game brings an element of fun to working out which you can take advantage of when your motivation levels are waning. Away from Wii Fit there are a great deal of many more games that you can play to help you keep physically fit and active.
Games such as Wii Fit provide you with a fun way to get fit from the comfort of your own home.
Dance Revolution will get you up and moving as will mobile apps like Pokemon Go that require you to get out and explore your local area. Zombie Run is another great mobile game that can transform your daily run into an action packed event of thrills.
In short, if you want to get fit and stay active, there is no shortage of games on all devices which can help you do just that.
