Playing games is crucial for childhood development, but if you believe games are strictly for kids, think again. New research proves gaming can have significant and lasting benefits for anyone of any age. Video games are particularly helpful when it comes to improving both physical and personal resilience. According to an article on Mental Floss, adults can use video games to:
- Improve dexterity and eyesight
- Overcome dyslexia
- Master problem-solving and decision-making
- Delay mental signs of aging
- Facilitate pain management
- Build friendships
- Control cravings
- Minimize stress
All of these benefits contribute to your resilience either by training you to develop valuable social and professional skills, or by eliciting physical responses to stimuli in the game that improve your health over time.
Why playing is so good for you
If you’re not into video games, though, you can still get similar effects from playing board games, puzzles, card games, and so forth. In fact, playing any kind of game is widely advantageous. Games are both calming and energizing, allowing you to relax and feel motivated at the same time. They also encourage you to exercise different parts of your brain, thereby improving cognition and sparking creativity. And, of course, multiplayer games are fantastic for fostering cooperation and teamwork. So regardless of whether you prefer Candy Crush or Call of Duty, be sure to carve some time out of your schedule for play.
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Also published on Medium.
Originally published at lifespeak.com