By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    Harmful vs Therapeutic EMFs
    March 27, 2023
    house hold drinking water
    4 Health Benefits Of Treating Your Household Drinking Water
    April 16, 2023
    Piriformis Syndrome – Steps to Improve Sleep
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    Health Benefits of Taking a Vacation to Reduce Your Stress
    September 27, 2023
    First Aid Training Enhancing Workplace Health and Safety
    September 25, 2023
    Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
    September 23, 2023
    5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life
    September 21, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Build It Bigger? Maybe Not: Addressing Obesity in the US today
    September 22, 2012
    “Too Posh To Push” in UK
    November 21, 2011
    Everything We Know in Health is Wrong. Medicine is a Science, Not Dogma. #askforevidence
    November 29, 2012
    Latest News
    Job Seekers with Disabilities Should at Health Insurance Benefits
    September 12, 2023
    Reasons That Drug Prices Are Rising to Unsustainable Levels
    September 12, 2023
    How Revenue Lifecycle Management Helps Healthcare Providers to Optimize Business Operations
    September 6, 2023
    The Hidden Benefits of Practice Exams for Medical Professionals
    September 6, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Health > 5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
Health

5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health

Ryan Kh
Last updated: 2022/09/09 at 8:43 PM
Ryan Kh
Share
7 Min Read
physical health
Shutterstock Licensed Photo - By metamorworks | stock photo ID: 1438838513
SHARE

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Oxford, playing games has a positive correlation with your overall well-being and happiness. Who would have thought?

Contents
Improve problem-solving skillsReduce feelings of stress and anxietyIncrease the volume of grey matter in the brainA chance to improve social skillsImprove manual dexterityCurb cravings and addictionsFinal word

Now, this may come as a surprise to you, considering the fact that most people have long assumed that gaming is harmful to your health and may cause a variety of issues, such as motivation loss, relationship strain, and even mental health disorders. However, there is a growing body of evidence that contradicts this notion, suggesting that games may in fact provide various benefits that help to promote healthy function in both our brains and bodies.

Improve problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills are some of the most valuable and important skills that one can possess, especially when it comes to securing employment. Competencies such as logic, creativity, resilience, imagination, lateral thinking, and determination are all highly sought after across many facets in life. As it turns out, games are a great way to develop these skills.

Interestingly, a long-term study published in 2013 found that students who played strategy-based games, managed to significantly improve their problem-solving skills in the next school year. As a result, they’re more likely to obtain better grades.

More Read

What is Pneumonia? Causes, Treatment, and Care

What is Pneumonia? Causes, Treatment, and Care

Navigating Through the Essentials: Medical Billing Training for Beginners
How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help Relieve Chronic Back Pain Without Medication
Handbook for Immigration Rights When Getting Medical Care
Understanding the Benefits and Safety of Butterbur for Migraine Relief

It’s believed that these types of games encourage players to think on their feet and strategize their way to victory. Most of the time, players are doing this under a high-pressure, time-based scenario, which of course, lends itself to many real-world applications. An affordable and  great way to improve problem-solving skills is by playing free, online versions of Solitaire and other card games.

Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety

A recent report published in the journal JMIR Serious Games found that video games can positively affect mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. The research suggested that gaming can help suppress negative emotions while offering an enjoyable recreational activity that can help to ease feelings of tension and stress. On top of this, playing games can also help release neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which are known to combat symptoms of depression.

While more research is needed before any concrete conclusions can be drawn about gaming and its ties to mental health, it certainly shows plenty of promise, especially as a tool for individuals who cannot typically obtain mental health therapy due to cost or location.

Increase the volume of grey matter in the brain

Researchers have discovered that establishing a practice of playing games regularly can enhance a person’s grey matter volume and promote new network connections in specific areas of the brain. For those unfamiliar with their neuroanatomy, gray matter is the part of the brain designed to process information where it enables individuals to control movement, memory, and emotions. As a result, gray matter plays a significant role in all aspects of human life, and the fact that it’s been proven that gaming can boost gray matter levels is rather astonishing.

Gray matter is developed through consistent stimulation and learning, and when you think about it, gaming is nothing more than a mental workout disguised as fun. Whether you are exploring new worlds, figuring out the next best move in a strategy game, or putting yourself into a combat situation in an FPS (first-person shooter), your brain is continually being forced to adapt and learn new ways to improve, which as it turns out, is incredibly beneficial to your brain function.

A chance to improve social skills

Long gone are the days where gamers were seen as social recluses who dared not venture out of their bedroom. Gaming has now broken through to the mainstream, becoming the most popular and highest-grossing form of entertainment on the planet. As a result, there are countless new communities that people can take part in and interact with like-minded people. Streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch have opened the door to a whole new aspect of gaming via video streaming, vastly increasing the capacity for human interaction while playing games.

To back this point up, a study involving children found that those who played more games were more likely to have better social skills, perform to a higher level academically, and to have built better relationships with other students.

Improve manual dexterity

As it turns out, many games played with controllers can be beneficial to your manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. In a 2008 study, researchers discovered that surgeons who played video games were faster at completing complex surgeries and made 37% fewer errors than those who didn’t. In addition to this, specialist games have been developed that are designed to be used as a form of physical therapy to assist stroke sufferers regain control of their hands and wrists, which is an excellent illustration of the medicinal advantages of gaming.

Curb cravings and addictions

Last but not least, games have been reported to help individuals curb their cravings and overcome addictions. A 2015 study observed that those who spent just three minutes playing the game Tetris found a reduction from cravings between 70% to 56%. Moreover, the same study discovered that short daily exposure to games could also help those suffering from severe addictions to alcohol and tobacco, which could have a profound impact on how we look to treat these conditions in the future.

Final word

More people are coming to recognize the significant advantages that playing games can have on both your brain and your body as we continue to fight the old-fashioned stereotype that games are harmful to your health. With each passing year, it becomes evident that gaming may assist in relieving stress, anxiety, and depression and provide a range of other advantages such as improved problem-solving abilities, increased physical dexterity, and even the capacity to help combat addiction.

TAGGED: improve neural health, physical health, playing games

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Ryan Kh November 3, 2021
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
By Ryan Kh
Follow:
Ryan Kh is an experienced blogger, digital content & social marketer. Founder of Catalyst For Business and contributor to search giants like Yahoo Finance, MSN. He is passionate about covering topics like big data, business intelligence, startups & entrepreneurship. Email: ryankh14@icloud.com
Previous Article medical education Top 6 Essentials To Survive Medical School
Next Article cute puppy wearing a party hat How to Keep Your Dog Healthy

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

Andropause hormonal decline
The Benefits of TRT for Andropause and Hormonal Decline
Wellness September 28, 2023
Cancer Prevention
The Importance of Lipoma Examination in Cancer Prevention
Cancer September 28, 2023
dental implant
Cost Analysis of Dental Implants in Australia
Dental health September 28, 2023
View,Of,Niagara,Falls,In,Autumn
Health Benefits of Taking a Vacation to Reduce Your Stress
Health September 27, 2023

You Might also Like

View,Of,Niagara,Falls,In,Autumn
Health

Health Benefits of Taking a Vacation to Reduce Your Stress

September 27, 2023
workplace first aid training
Health

First Aid Training Enhancing Workplace Health and Safety

September 25, 2023
Medical Surveys
Health

Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors

September 23, 2023
Health

5 Self-Care Habits to Help You Live an A+ Life

September 20, 2023
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US
© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?