Featured5 Healthy Benefits of Gaming

Introduction

Gaming never ceases to come up with new and improved versions and the people actively engaged in playing video games are of different ages. If you are an avid gamer, you must have heard your parents or someone else going on about how games are not good for health. Well! I am an avid gamer and as a child I was scolded too which made me determined to find scientific studies to prove the point that games are good for health. Let’s discuss those 5 healthy benefits down below.

1. Good for improving memory:

Generally, as people age, memory tends to decrease. However, neurobiologists at University of California conducted a study in 2015 that established the fact that people who played video games had an increase in memory performance rather than a decrease. More specifically, they showed an increase in the ability to learn and retain memories.

Playing 3D video games can stimulate the formation of memories along with an improvement in reaction times due to better hand-eye coordination. Plus, games that have exploratory elements also tend to trigger the brain to improve the memory.

2. Surprisingly, can help improve eyesight:

Video games have always been termed bad for eyesight as people often think that staring into a screen for a long time can be detrimental to vision. However, a study conducted at the University of Rochester in 2009 by a group of researchers states quite the opposite view that eyesight can improve rather than fail.

Playing games can trigger the contrast sensitivity function. This means that people who play video games have better sensitivity to contrast and spatial frequency so their eyes are more sensitive to color and depth. That’s why monitors have so many features that protect the eyes from damage so get yourself the best gaming monitor under 500 to have the best immersive experience.

According to Daphne Bavelier, the contrast sensitivity function of the brain improves when people play video games. This is basically the brain’s ability where it can differentiate between the different shades of gray. This is extremely beneficial while driving at night. Moreover, if someone has had eye surgery or has purchased new lenses, playing video games can help them heal faster.

3. Helps in improving coordination:

Playing video games can definitely boost the brain’s flexibility so the ability to react to whatever you see on the screen improves as you fully concentrate on the visual cues provided. Hence, hand-eye coordination improves. So much so that some studies consider college students to be better at doing virtual surgeries than the actual medical students simply because they have better experience with the gaming consoles.

A study conducted by researchers from the Centre for Vision Research in 2010 at York University, Canada, established that playing video games not only improved hand-eye coordination but also helped in performing even difficult tasks conveniently. They observed that the players who were new at gaming showed improved hand-eye coordination.

Also, players who were already playing video games showed increased brain activity and were able to perform different tasks by learning new skills & transferring knowledge from games to their tasks. The researchers termed it to be beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients who experience difficulty in performing basic visual motor activities.

4. Improves Decision-Making Ability:

Though decision-making is an ability that is considered to be quite easy since everyone seems to make decisions – small or big – in their lives, for some it is quite difficult to decide how many spoons of sugar they want in their coffee. Playing video games can help in improving the decision-making ability of people. A study conducted in 2013 established that strategy games enhance cognitive skills so that players can make good decisions swiftly.

Strategy games are the best mind games where players have to jog their minds to create strategies in order to win. One example is Diablo 2, where players use the best d2 builds to improve their character on an epic adventure into Hell to beat Diablo! Such games focus on time management, resource management, and other skills to think strategically. They enable the players to implement their strategies in real life at their workplaces; especially the ones that involve time and resource management. Therefore, the players can make decisions in real life pretty much faster after they gain experience and expertise in playing strategy games.

5. Reduces stress, treats depression and anxiety:

Some children go through a lot at a very young age so they become depressed due to taking a lot of stress. Some of them find relief in video games. Although parents feel that their child may be wasting time, they may actually be finding a way out for themselves to relieve their stress. Of course, the games played must be in moderation, not too excessive, and only for the purpose of distracting oneself from negativity or depression. Studies also show that playing video games can help people deal with mental health issues.

A study conducted by ECU’s Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic in 2011 showed that video games can help in reducing stress and treating depression. The results of the study indicated that within 20 minutes of the gameplay, people started showing positive effects. For instance, there was increased heart rate that reduced stress and reduced frontal alpha brain waves for an improved mood. According to Dr. Carmen Russoniello, director of ECU’s Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic, standard therapies including medications could be replaced by casual video gameplay in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Another series of studies conducted by Oxford University on patients of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) showed that even limited duration of video game play alleviated the anxiety and PTSD effects; as less as 10 minutes of gameplay showed a 50% reduction in memory flashbacks. The games occupied the brain’s visual processing power, thereby reducing involuntary visual memories and flashbacks.

Conclusion

Hence, video gaming that was considered to be a time wasting activity, ended up being quite beneficial for health. Several health benefits are there including improved memory, eyesight, hand-eye coordination, better decision-making ability and most importantly, stress alleviation along with relief from anxiety & depression.  However, these games must be played for a limited duration and in moderation, not excessively. Otherwise, they could become addictive and would end up becoming a cause of poor health.

Author Bio

Sarah is a devoted player; she likes to play new and latest versions of games as soon as they are released and she never misses out. Whenever she is not playing games she likes to review gaming equipment for gamingverge.com.

This article has been sponsored by Ammar Brohi