How often has someone said you would get square eyes from staring at a TV screen? What about the one about getting outside and getting more exercise? In modern society, gaming is popular, but there are those who look down on it like excrement on their shoe. Gamers are socially awkward geeks who aren’t good at sports, or so the theory goes. But, it turns out that this isn’t true. Okay, gaming-enthusiasts might be nerds, but they aren’t as unhealthy as people like to imagine.
These are the reasons gaming is good for your health and why you should continue.
Encourages Exercise
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When the Nintendo Wii came out, haters thought gamers would work out less. Who needs to play a real game of tennis when you can sit on the couch with a handheld controller? Well, it turns out a lot of people because gaming is a taster for real life. Just as sporting events on TV increase participation in sport, so do gaming consoles. A study by Stanford found that people who watched their avatars exercised an hour longer. Plus, it reported that the participants felt an increase in confidence and wanted to work out more.
Fights Mental Illness
Fighting depression in the video game world, one AFK at a time
If you think gamers are socially awkward and depressed with life, you’re wrong. More than 75% of people admit to feeling better off emotionally and mentally after a session. Rather than increasing the feeling of depression, the best TV for gaming provides a release. Instead of dealing with real life problems, people find they can melt into the game. As a result, things such as stress lower and mood increases. To drive the point home, individuals who surf the internet don’t profit in the same way.
Helps With Social Skills
Video games may improve children’s intellectual and social skills, study finds
There are two ways in which this happens. Firstly, reports show that gaming is an interactive activity. From talking to strangers to having the guys around for a few beers, it rarely happens alone. Therefore, gamers are surrounded by fellow human beings and sharpening their social skills. Secondly, the gaming world builds communities. Whether it is a release or relief, gamers like to mix with like-minded people. As a result, they learn how to create relationships and socially interact. In fact, the results are higher because gamers often speak to strangers.
Reduces Pain
A study from the American Pain Society shows that playing 3D video games helps reduce the brain’s response to physical pain.
Running around on Call of Duty isn’t going to do much for your bad back. Well, not unless you’re in a Lazy Boy with back support. However, a virtual reality headset is different. Because the images feel real, gamers with ailments can benefit from lower pain levels. For example, 92% of burn patients in a recent study said they could ignore pain while paying VR video games. And, it isn’t hard to see why. Not only is VR technology lifelike, but it’s all encompassing. By putting on the headset, there is a separation between the real world and the virtual one.
From the mental to the physical, gaming has a broad range of health benefits.
