Benefits of Videogames
BY EDDY ZHAO '25
|
We've finally reached that glorious time of year where your day consists of waking up when it's dark, sleeping in class, sleeping as you do your homework and then not being able to sleep at night. Great job! Amidst all of this trouble, it’s important to ensure that you’re keeping your mental health in check especially as the difficulty of the second term starts looming on you. My solution? Try playing video games during your free time; they can give you that added boost of endorphins when you need it most!
Did you know that video games can help you build basic life skills? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), video games can boost childrens’ learning, health, and social skills. While most people regard gaming as lazy, the APA found that games improved various cognitive and problem-solving skills. In other words, video games = big brain. Even further, violent video games significantly improve these brain functions. (Not promoting violence here, just saying.) Finally, according to Geico, (yes, the car insurance company) playing video games regularly “may increase gray matter in the brain and boost brain connectivity” as gaming is really “a workout for your mind disguised as fun,” especially if you play strategic video games. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. With all the positives of playing video games, they are a beneficial tool when played in moderation. This means that unfortunately, playing for 16 hours a day is still terrible for you. You can also get addicted to games, which is linked with sleep deprivation, depression, and other risks. That doesn’t sound very fun! I myself am a victim of wanting to play this one last match of Valorant just because I lost the last, even if I have a second draft for a Spectrum article due in 15 minutes. However, you can easily prevent getting addicted by setting time limits, getting work done first, and even asking someone else to enforce limits on games. After all, when you play video games to help you survive school, you want to make sure to actually do the school part! In short, video games are good and you should play more of them to keep your brain active. I should definitely have written this article when I was younger, because I could have had more than an hour a day on a screen. Either way, when balanced as part of a healthy life, video games can help improve cognitive ability, promote relaxation. Most importantly, they can keep you sane as you navigate the 17 assignments you have due the day after the Monday of a long weekend. |
