Despite overwhelming talk to the contrary, scientific research has proven that video games can actually be good for you. Several studies support these findings and after years of hearing parents tell us not to sit too close to the TV and to go and play outside, gamers across the world are rejoicing at the fact that their beloved games can be beneficial.
Video games exercise the brain
Recent studies completed by several noted research organisations have proven that playing video games could actually help improve the quality of life for disabled and mentally ill people. The biggest takeaway from these studies is the fact that by playing video games, one can increase their grey matter – the overall size of their brain.
Furthermore, playing video games actually helps refine hardwired skills. In other words, by playing video games, one directly affects that part of their brain that is responsible for the organisation of information, spatial orientation, memory and fine motor skills.
They can exercise the body too
While video games can help make your brain bigger, they can also keep your waistline smaller. Within the past decade, the popularity of “exergames” has grown significantly. These games track and sense physical activity, such as dancing or tennis playing, and use it as motivation to encourage players to keep on moving.
These kinds of video games have revolutionised exercise in surprisingly positive ways. They provide a much more convenient, enjoyable way of working out, providing players with better flexibility, circulation, coordination and balance, all from the comfort of their homes.
Video games improve problem solving skills
Video games have the ability to teach real-world problem-solving skills, making them a valuable tool for children and teenagers to have. Certain games teach us how to explore new environments and figure our way out of puzzles and challenges. The only way we can properly progress through a video game is to provide a solution to a challenge.
We learn how to better manage resources, learn and develop strategies and apply them to certain scenarios. These skills all go a long way in the real world, once we are faced with personal and professional challenges and need to find realistic solutions for all of them.
They also offer other physical benefits
A far cry from what we have been taught about video games for so long, it is also believed that they can actually help improve one’s eyesight, not damage it in any way, even when enjoyed on mobile. Video games can improve vision by making us more responsive to different shades of colour. A study by the National Eye Institute concluded that those who play action games have a better perception of colour contrast than others do. This means that as an adult, you have even more reason to play and to win Grand Rush games than ever before.
Furthermore, video games have also been proven to help improve the fine-motor skills of pre-schoolers. One study also found that surgeons who played video games actually became better surgeons, as the games help them improve their hand-eye coordination and precise muscle movement, both of which are essential skills for their line of work.
