Five benefits of playing video games regularly
At this point in time, with video games fully exposed and in the mainstream, we’ve all heard the same age-old criticisms of the industry ad-nauseam.
Whether you’ve heard otherwise, it’s critical to understand that there are unexpected, scientifically proven benefits associated with regular gaming.
Vision improvements
The cultural concept of video games rotting out your eyes might need to be revised in its entirety.
As it turns out, gaming on a regular basis can provide benefits to your vision, not detriments.
Studies have found that when comparing gamers and non-gamers, it’s the gamers that have an easier time discerning between and identifying specific shades of colors that are close to one another.
Additionally, GameMine notes that gamers also have a leg up when it comes to visual-spatial skills: They are better at navigation, as well as more coordinated with their depth perception.
Social skills
Another concern about gaming is that it can isolate an individual, dampening their social skills and leaving them worse for the wear when it’s time to get back to the real world.
Studies have shown that this is certainly not the case, and the world of gaming is capable of equipping players with improved social skills.
With the advent of online gaming, players can engage with other players and whole communities with the training wheels of being in their own homes, as well as online anonymity.
Furthermore, GameMine believes that players can even go so far as honing leadership skills, as more than a few games require one player to step up and lead a team, making snap decisions and giving orders.
Medical treatment
If you can believe it, video games have seen applications within medical treatments.
The interactive nature of the medium enables it to distract and detract from anxieties and pains associated with recovery from medical procedures, chronic illnesses and even trauma, with patients engaging in gaming having reported less focus on the negative aspects of their conditions.
Gaming has also proved to be a strong deterrent for something as potent as addiction recovery, helping individuals trying to quit for good have something not to merely take their mind off going back, but also providing positive reinforcement and the encouragement of achievement.
A mental workout
Even if you already knew that video games can improve cognitive capability, the extent of this mental improvement is impressive indeed.
The right game can push the brain to new heights, improving aspects such as memorization, concentration, hand-eye coordination, multitasking, and reflexes.
All of this is centralized around the increased production of gray matter within the brain, a direct mental growth that you may not have experienced otherwise.
It’s no secret that the body needs a mental workout just as much as it need a physical one, and games are the perfect means to do so.
Transferrable skills
One of the primary aspects of video games is the fact that players are regularly faced with situations that require them to use their problem solving and decision making skills.
They are presented with information, rules, and systems, and it’s up to them to process these elements in order to make informed choices that will result in success.
The amount of learning that goes into playing a game is often underestimated, and the best part about it is that it has strong applications in the real world.
Gamers can expect to take the skills they have learned in the games into the rest of their lives, and find success in reality to complement their virtual accomplishments.
Finally, GameMine notes that video games are also a defense against the process of aging.
By taking the time to sharpen the mental saw, and hone skills applicable in real life, you’re that much more equipped to deal with the mental deterioration of becoming older, and your future self will be very grateful that you took the time to be prepared.
All in all, the benefits of gaming regularly are clear. Having gaming as a habit gives you a genuine leg up mentally, as well as in your day-to-day routines.
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