Gaming has become a common activity in the day to day of billions of active users from all ages – from young children to those of old age, it’s no longer the niche that it once was. When done in moderation, there are plenty of health benefits that come from a gaming lifestyle – whether this be players of more casual games like these games of chance found at the best casinos, or more substantial AAA games that require a bigger time investment – but what are these health benefits?
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A potential help for vision – We used to be told that sitting in front of the TV for too long could turn our eyes square, and there are certainly some instances where too much screen time can impact vision, but a study conducted in the Visual Development Lab of Ontario’s McMaster University found the opposite – those with impaired vision could actually improve through playing specific games that have a lot of information, with first-person shooter games being highlighted. They often require a lot of attention and could help those who are visually impaired to focus on things more sharply – that isn’t to say hours on end in front of the screen is good, but in moderation can have positive impacts.
Gaming can help decision-making and critical thinking – With a huge variety in gaming options, different genres can help in different ways – some require fast reactions and split second decision making, some require creative thinking to explore and solve a problem, and some require creativity to build and try new ideas – there has been plenty of research conducted that suggests gaming can have a profound impact on decision-making and critical thinking in real world scenarios, and gaming can act as a stimulant to hone skills that may not be tested in the day to day otherwise.
Reducing stress and depression – Whilst it’s important not to get stuck in a world of escapism through gaming, it has been found to be effective to help those who suffer from mental health issues such as stress and depression with a noted improvement to both in many instances – it helps some release pent up frustration or aggression, and gives others an outlet to explore other aspects that they may not be able to in the day to day such as a creative outlet and have been a fantastic tool for huge numbers of individuals.
As with all things, this should be done in moderation and an unhealthy obsession will lead to diminishing returns – but taking advantage of what gaming has to offer can provide great benefits and they’re being explored more than ever.
