Gaming is a hobby shared by individuals of all ages. It’s entertaining, so it’s no wonder why people love it. More often than not, video games are perceived as being a waste of time. Plus, they are also known to be harmful, as they can lead to addiction. But did you know gaming also has some positive effects on your brain? Playing too many video games can sometimes affect the quality of your life — that’s true. But that doesn’t mean gaming is bad in its nature. It all comes down to how much time you spend doing it.
Playing video games has numerous benefits, from improved memory to enhanced social skills and mood. And these are just some advantages — the truth is, if you’re disciplined and do it moderately, gaming can provide multiple physical, social and cognitive benefits. Read on to learn more about the advantages of playing video games.
It decreases stress.
This is probably what hooks many individuals to gaming, video games can help you deal with stress. Engaging in your favourite activity can work wonders for your health and wellbeing. This doesn’t mean using gaming as a method to get away from the problems in your life. Gaming is just like any other hobby, such as reading or gardening. If you enjoy it, there’s no need to feel shame about playing video games.
Gaming can be a fantastic way to unwind and give your mind a break from worries and stress when you come home after a long, hectic day. It forces you to be in the moment as you focus on the activity.
It promotes physical activity.
We know what you may be thinking. ‘How can video games promote physical activity when all you do is sit all the time?’ Prolonged gaming can indeed lead to an unhealthy lifestyle, and it’s essential to take regular breaks and avoid being sedentary, as this can be detrimental to your health. Unfortunately, for professional game testers, this is a luxury. They may suffer injuries because their employer didn’t provide healthy working conditions to protect their safety. However, if that happens, they can turn to specialists like Personal Injury Claims Care to help them with the claim process.
But not all video games involve a sedentary lifestyle. Some encourage you to stay active, improving your physical health — an example is VR games. Most of them require you to move around or stand up, which is much better for your health than the games where you always sit. Plus, you can always turn your gaming desk into a standing one, contributing to improved posture. However, you should only consider this if you aren’t the competitive type and aren’t trying to compete at tournaments.
It improves memory.
Video games often require concentration and good strategy. If you’ve ever played games like Fortnite or Minecraft, you likely know how crucial it is to remember critical details like where to go next. Video game environments include immersive audio and 3D graphics, making them incredibly rich in stimuli. The virtual world of video games works similarly to the real one and requires you to juggle several tasks and goals. As you do this, you exercise your hippocampus. This part of your brain is responsible for changing short-memory into long-term memory and controlling spatial memory.
When you maintain your hippocampus in shape, your long-term memory enhances, making you more skilled at navigating physical space. Plus, playing video games can also help boost your memory for directions. As you get older, your memory naturally declines. However, playing video games regularly can be an excellent way to keep your mind sharp. This means you won’t have to worry about remembering the directions to your friend’s house. Therefore, navigating video game worlds positively impacts your memory.
It enhances decision-making skills.
Fast-paced video games require you to make quick decisions. These energizing games can boost your decision-making skills in real life too. Making quick decisions allows you to accomplish more. You don’t spend much time debating what kind of shirt you should wear and start getting work done instead.
But faster-decision making goes beyond this, having more serious implications. They are crucial when faced with life-threatening situations. What’s more, video games can help you make better decisions for long-term planning. Games like SimCity train your brain to identify possible outcomes of your choices so that you can do the right thing to get the desired result. When you practice these skills in the virtual world, your brain naturally learns to apply them in real life too.
It boosts problem-solving skills
Strategic video-games challenge players to solve all kinds of complex problems, which can turn out to be very beneficial for real-life hurdles. According to the American Psychological Association, teenagers who play this type of games have enhanced problem-solving skills and better school grades.
Regardless of their genre, most video games involve problem-solving to a certain level. You may have to figure out a puzzle or find the quickest escape route. Whatever it is, such problems require analysis and memorization. Not to mention that you also need a little creativity. Video game hurdles are generally open-ended and don’t give you much instruction. This means players must embrace the trial-and-error mindset and do their best to figure out the solution. When you try to solve a problem in the virtual world and fail ten times, you learn how to be persistent and resilient when facing a real-life challenge.
It increases social skills.
There’s been a lot of debate regarding the social benefits of gaming since many people believe video games lead to isolation and poor social skills. And that’s true if you play video games excessively. However, moderate video game play has the opposite effect, reducing anxiety and enhancing your social skills.
Players create fictional personas in the virtual world and have different kinds of social interactions. This teaches them what good social behaviour looks like, which also has positive effects in real life. For instance, people who experience social anxiety feel more comfortable when interacting in a video game since there isn’t anything they are afraid of. This helps them become more confident in real-life interactions too. Moreover, gaming provides a flourishing social setting for players since most play games with their friends. Plus, the video game community is vast, allowing you to play with many other gamers worldwide. This virtual interaction encourages cooperation and communication, which is incredibly beneficial in real-life interactions.