Game On

Game On!

Do you love playing video games but feel like you could be playing them better? Whether you are a professional gamer or someone who just wants to move up in rank or level in your game, there are always ways to sharpen your gaming strategies and abilities, such as watching gameplays and purchasing the newest gear. But what you might not realise is that some of your gaming habits might also be holding you back!

If gaming is one of your favorite free-time activities, you probably have a fair amount of daily screen time from the numerous digital devices that you own. However, we tend to overlook the drawbacks of spending too much time in front of the screen and how it can impact your gaming performance.

To become a better gamer, you need to understand the “GAME”! Here are some negative effects from long hours of video gaming, how it can affect our overall health and well-being and what you can do to counter them.

Physical strain to your eyes and body

An average gamer spends about 8.6 hours per week playing video games⁹. Spending hours on playing video games can not only strain your eyes and makes them dry but can also lead to retinal damage and poor vision¹. If such concerns are left neglected, it will lead to poor gaming performance and even worse, cause irreversible eye damage. Furthermore, staring at your devices for too long means you're likely also sitting in your chair or lying on your bed playing video games can affect your posture and can cause stiffness to both the neck and shoulder¹.

Start taking responsibility for your own health and better gaming performance now! To level up your game, it is important for you to take regular breaks away from your digital devices every 30 minutes⁵. Take a walk around your room, stretch your body and relax your eyes. This will help to curb the headaches, neck, back and shoulder pain associated with prolonged hours of video gaming.

Lack of sleep

Blue light interferes with the production of the sleep hormone, Melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep¹. As gaming is an activity that requires dedication, patience, skills and time. When coupled with the effects of blue light, it is very easy to neglect sleep in order to train. Therefore, the later you play or sleep, the less energy or attention you have, which can affect your next-day performance either at work, in school or when you are gaming.

To ensure that you get sufficient sleep, it is important to set time limits for gaming, and establish a bedtime routine that ensures that you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night⁸. To improve your sleep quality, avoid bright displays two to three hours before bed7. However, if you are unable to do so, you can consider wearing a blue light-blocking eyewear or having an application that filters the blue wavelength at night.

Loss of cognitive ability

Excessive screen time can cause cognitive decline that may or may not be reversible¹. Hence, spending too much time on video games can affect critical brain processes including short-term memory, attention and concentration that will prevent us from functioning at optimal level².

Having good and consistent cognitive skills is what every gamer needs to take their performance to another level. Gaming can sometimes be complex and requires cognitive abilities such as involving analogy, processing speed, deductive reasoning and reaction time.

As for parents, they should be aware of these concerns, given that children's brains are still developing and that they do not know the risk of it. Digital devices can be powerful teaching and learning tools for children if they are actively engaged. However, to make sure your child is using their devices in a healthy way, start by being aware and demonstrate to your child the importance limiting screen time.

Lower self-esteem

When gaming, it is easy to lose touch of reality. When you are so immersed in your virtual environment, these experiences can sometimes be transferred into the real world, especially when you are on a losing streak. This could result in low self-esteem and low mood which can lead to anxiety and hostility6. The virtual world can sometimes be a dangerous place if one were to spend too much time immersed in it. When you spend most of your time on playing video games, you can find yourself caring more about your virtual image, which could negatively impact on how you perceive yourself¹.

To perform at your best, building relationships with fellow gamers can make a huge positive difference on your gaming experience. Finding friends who are nice and not toxic helps to build confidence and boost each other’s self-esteem. Likewise, discover your interests and objectives, start searching interesting games with a supportive community or attempt something new.

Unhealthy lifestyle

Playing video games is a prolong sedentary activity as you are constantly sitting down most of the time. It can also disrupt normal appetite and lead to passive eating as we are constantly at our desk and not keeping track of the time¹. Being physically inactive for long periods can increase the risk of obesity, sleep disorders, and other health-related issues¹.

Being overweight and not regularly exercising can cause serious health implications in the long run¹. Additionally, studies show that prolonged sitting might affect your blood glucose and insulin levels as well as buildup of fat in your bloodstream¹.

It’s time for a change for you to stay in the game.

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Benefits

Relieve tired/blood-shot eyes from long screen time.
Protect eyes against blue light to curb sleep deprivation.
Reduce cognitive fatigue.
Promote concentration to better strategize game play and sustain fast reaction critical for winning your online games. Surely your number one choice to boost your morale and confidence!
Contains antioxidants to protect your cells against free radicals, reducing risks of degenerative diseases.

References

¹ https://www.activehealth.sg/read/screen-time/what-are-the-negative-side-effects-of-too-much-screen-time
²https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/can-screen-time-cause-health-issues
³ https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/screen-time-know-your-child-s-limits#:~:text=Lai.,brain%20development%20in%20young%20children.
⁴ https://www.wcrf.org/can-too-much-screen-time-affect-our-weight/
⁵ https://www.asiapacificeyecentre.com.sg/caringforyoureyesduringcovid19/#:~:text=It%20is%20important%20to%20take,Take%20frequent%20breaks
⁶https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6676913/
⁷ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side#:~:text=Protect%20yourself%20from%20blue%20light%20at%20night&text=Avoid%20looking%20at%20bright%20screens,blue%2Fgreen%20wavelength%20at%20night
⁸ https://www.nus.edu.sg/uhc/resources/articles/details/the-importance-of-sleep#:~:text=Sleep%20for%20At%20Least%207%20Hours%20Daily&text=If%20you%20are%20above%2018,for%20different%20age%20groups%20below
⁹https://www.thehealthyjournal.com/faq/how-long-do-pro-gamers-play-a-day#:~:text=How%20long%20does%20the%20average,roughly%201.2%20hours%20per%20day.