What do you think of when you imagine someone who plays video games each and every day? If you grew up worried that games were going to ruin your health, here’s some good news: daily gaming actually offers plenty of awesome benefits for the body and mind, making this hobby surprisingly healthy.
Is it entirely healthy, though? Not exactly. As with everything, there are some potential downsides, especially when you do things to excess. So, what are the potential effects on you if you consistently reach for the controller? Whether you’ve got a Player 2 or prefer to game solo, keep reading to discover what happens to your body when you play video games every day!
Improved hand/eye coordination
When we were growing up, there were plenty of jokes about how kids who played video games all the time were likely to be bad at sports. The basic idea behind these mean jibes is that children who spend so much time watching TV will have trouble watching the ball. That’s not really true, though, as regularly playing video games can do wonders for your hand/eye coordination.
Why is that? Basically, many games (especially action games and shooters) have many things happening onscreen at all times. Beating levels and winning online matches means you must be able to quickly assess what’s going on and react accordingly. This builds skills that transfer to real life, helping you catch balls and perform similar activities with speed and accuracy. By itself, hand/eye coordination declines over time, so picking up a controller each day as you get older may help your reflexes stay sharp as you age.
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Gaming might make you smarter
Do you remember when everyone thought watching television would make us all stupid? That’s how television got its very unflattering name: “the boob tube.” These days, video games are now everyone’s favorite target, and there’s a common belief that players are just engaging in something brainless that ultimately saps their minds. Of course, that’s false, and it turns out the opposite may be true. That is, playing video games can actually make you smarter!
How does that work? The key is that nearly every game centers on solving puzzles. This might mean finding the optimal block patterns in Tetris, assembling the best army in StarCraft, or even just figuring out the best ambush techniques in Halo. All of these strategies and more engage the brain and help improve overall cognitive thinking. Don’t believe it? Go ask the highest-ranking students in your local school district how they like to unwind…the answers may surprise you!
Better mental health
Let’s be real: nobody ever really thinks about video games improving your mental health. One reason for this is that so many depressed people are gamers. After all, sitting around playing something fun is always better than sitting around and doing nothing at all! Plus, competitive online video games are filled with people engaging in the nastiest trash talk you’ve ever heard. It’s tough to think that exposing yourself to a bunch of potty-mouthed bile could do anything to improve your mental health.
Of course, not all games are created equal. There is a growing body of research claiming that casual gaming (think cozy titles like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and so on) can be downright therapeutic. Why, though? Basically, the low-stakes, high-reward model of cozy games helps to soothe anxiety, reduce stress, improve mood, and stave off depression. Obviously, this is no replacement for regular therapy if you are suffering. But a relaxing cozy game, combined with therapy and medication, can actually do wonders for your mental health!
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Potentially straining your body and mind
So far, we’ve been focusing entirely on the positive effects of playing video games. And there are quite a few such effects, including improved hand/eye coordination, improved cognitive thinking, and reduced anxiety. Does that mean there are absolutely no downsides to playing video games each and every day? Sadly, the answer to that question is “no.” Games, like everything else, are best enjoyed in moderation. And if you end up overdoing it, you may very well end up straining your body and mind.
For example, if you don’t take a break from staring at the screen from time to time, you could develop some serious eye strain. Similarly, if you aren’t taking regular breaks, the repetitive movements (like doing the same special moves again and again on your favorite fighting game) can cause a repetitive strain injury. Plus, research has found that gaming for long periods can make you hungrier; eating more, paired with a sedentary activity like gaming, can make you gain weight.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that avoiding that is as simple as taking a break every now and then and ideally using that time for healthy activities like walking or running around the block! That way, you can get all the benefits of regular gaming and none of the drawbacks.