The video game came to life in the 1970s and since then has not stopped evolving and improving with the aim of bringing fun to people around the world, being part of the lives of many people, of any age or gender, but especially among children. . However, with the increasing advancement of games, fears were emerging and theories created around these problems, such as addiction, distraction and even psychological disorders. It is no wonder that in 2018 the WHO (World Health Organization) classified video game addiction as a psychological disease.
However, what little is known is that many studies have been carried out around the effects and impacts of video games on people's lives and it has been concluded that they provide various types of benefits to players. The video game, which was once considered a villain for health, is now proven that it can be a positive partner, both for physical and mental well-being.
Through research and studies among scientists and psychologists around the world, it was found that video games contribute to the development of logical reasoning, agility, motor coordination and other important factors for health. Interested in finding out more? Keep reading and see the main benefits that video games can offer you and your whole family.
The benefits of video games for people's lives
1. Promotes motor coordination
The use of video games helps (and a lot!) the development of motor coordination, especially among children. There are games that require movements of the whole body and not just the upper limbs, in addition to requiring attention and agility to press several buttons at the same time to control the game. A study carried out by the University of Albuquerque, in the United States, showed that the cerebral cortex of those who play video games is thickest in the area related to this function, justifying such a benefit.
2. Improves focus and attention
Playing video games is related to the player's visual attention capacity, so people who play a lot tend to have a great capacity for perception, even in small details, in addition to being able to learn better and faster, as a consequence. Research done at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York showed that even medical surgeons can improve with video games. Surgeons who played video games for more than three hours a week made 37% fewer errors during surgery and were 27% faster in their skills.
3. Develops logical reasoning
Everyone likes to play to win and this is a very positive feature that video games make possible, helping to develop logical thinking. The desire to win the game makes the person try to think of several moves to arrive at the best strategy, stimulating reasoning in a progressive way, since each phase makes the challenge more difficult. Psychologist Ana Luiza Mano explains: “To overcome the obstacles of video games, it is necessary to take the right attitudes, which favors logical thinking”.
4. Provides more agility
In video games, for the most part, it is necessary to act quickly to find the best solution in time to win the game. This causes an expansion of the mind, allowing the person to become more and more agile in taking attitudes and practicing actions, in or out of the game. Researchers at the University of Rochester, in the United States, have shown that people who play video games are on average 25% more agile in reaching a conclusion and correct answers.
5. Physical exercise option
Many people imagine that using video games can lead someone to a sedentary lifestyle, but in reality it is the opposite: playing video games can be an alternative to physical exercise. There are many games that offer physical exercises during your matches, in addition to those suitable for practicing physical activities, such as dance, yoga, muscle training, among others. The video game is always stimulating different parts of the body. In addition to helping with mental agility, it also helps with the physical agility of your players.
6. Facilitates learning
Playing video games contributes a lot to intellectual improvement. In addition to all the benefits seen so far, the games also collaborate with the learning, for example, of other languages and cultures. Many people report their knowledge of the English language through video games, as in the case of Professor Bruno Beltran Seixas, who even started teaching English after learning through games. Even in some schools the video game is used as a study aid tool.
7. Enables social interactions
Video games can be quite useful to provide social interaction, whether indoors with family members, or even outside, with friends and strangers. Some games offer the possibility to play online with different people around the world, or with more than one player from the same environment or circle of friends, making it a good option to spend more time with family or friends.
8. Generates greater tolerance and less frustration
When playing a video game, it is normal to lose. This is necessary for the improvement of all the points exposed so far. But the act of losing the game can also have a positive effect on the player, because when you lose a game, you are motivated to try more times until you can win, in addition to learning that it is not always possible to win and that is okay.
Tips for video games to be a safe and fun game
There is no doubt that video games offer several legal benefits to mental and physical health, but it is important to know how to enjoy the game and use these games properly, after all, anything in excess can be harmful. That's why we've separated some tips to help you enjoy the video game in a healthy and fun way.
1. Avoid playing video games before bed so as not to disturb your sleep.
2. Avoid playing games that are not suitable for your age group.
3. Take breaks and stretches during each play.
4. Keep a distance of at least 60cm from the screen where you will be playing the video game.
5. Finally, it is important to point out that people with a history of epilepsy should avoid or be very careful when playing video games.
The use of video games brings important gains and improvements to the lives of its users, whether adults or children, especially for mental and physical health, contrary to what was previously thought, but it is extremely important to know how to dose this use and respect the indicative rating of each game so that there is no wear and tear.
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It is essential to know that, regardless of the benefits, everything in excess can become harmful. So, to maintain a healthy and fun game, follow the tips in this article and enjoy your leisure time and the benefits that video games can provide you.
