From Respawn to Recovery: Health Tips for Hardcore Gamers

Building your gaming lifestyle around trying to be fit seems to be like two different planets because gaming is basically a sedentary activity, and to be a successful gamer, you need to sit a lot. However, gamers have to pay specific attention to their physical fitness to stay healthy both physically and mentally – because, paradoxically, physical health supports mental health, and stable mental health helps gamers play video games more efficiently. In this post, we discuss some of the key health issues that gamers face, and give some health recommendations.

 

Exercise for Gamers: Actually Improves Gaming Skills 

Gamers tend to spend long hours sitting, and the negative health effects of long-term sitting hit quite quickly and hard. Constant sitting without any physical activity or breaks decreases the brain’s cognitive abilities and negatively alters the brain’s functionality. This not only means worse mental health that will take its toll in real life but also decreased gaming skills. 

Sitting for long hours means the player gets tired, even if not so much physically, then for sure mentally. And the more tired you are, the more mistakes you make. This is particularly important for competitive gaming. Thus, contrary to the common misconception that one must concentrate on practicing for long hours to enhance their abilities, the most effective approach for both physical and mental well-being is to take regular breaks and change the activity type.

Frequent breaks don’t mean scrolling through Instagram feed, though, but getting up and having some minimal exercise or stretching. Just walking around the apartment (or better, going outside!) is recommended as an excellent gamer-friendly exercise. According to studies, only 6 minutes of walking restores the brain’s cognitive function. (Interestingly, more intense activities like running or weight lifting don’t have the same effect, so you can chill – no need to go for a jog.)

Hand And Wrist Care 

Wrists, fingers, and elbows need extra care. Unfortunately, frequent breaks and walking do not prevent wrist injuries. Professional esports athletes report repetitive strain injuries to their wrists and elbows, in particular, carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Very simple exercises like rotating the wrists, flexing fingers, and stretching hands and arms are helpful, especially if you repeat them every hour. With time, of course, mature gamers have their hands adapting to the activity, but the nervous system needs to reload from time to time, as well. So, even if you don’t feel tired, preventative exercise for wrists is a total must. 

How To Avoid Eye Strain While Gaming

Even non-gaming folks are very susceptible to eye issues, using their laptops and smartphones all the time. Gaming folks are even more susceptible due to prolonged hours in front of the big bright screens. Extended gaming sessions add even more stress for eye health. Gamers suffer increased sensitivity, eye dryness, irritation, and even sleepiness and blurred vision. 

Prolonged exposure to big screen time not only causes eye strain but can also lead to double vision, headaches, and brain fog. This is why it is crucial to give some rest to the eyes and also optimize your technology and devices. 

Monitor brightness should be set to the optimal level, and maybe color balance should be adjusted (depending on the screen type). Every hour, gamers should take a break and just stay with closed eyes for several minutes. Rotating your eyes and blinking gently for a minute is also good eye gymnastics. 

It is important to pay attention to proper lighting in the room. Rooms with windows that provide enough natural light are the best for gaming sessions – which also means it is better to play your favorite video games during the daytime, and this is quite an unusual gaming behavior. Natural light is softer on the eyes than artificial lighting, especially when it comes to watching the bright, ever-changing colors on the screen. 

If you prefer to follow the best gaming traditions and play during the dark hours, consider getting a flexible lamp with ambient lights that would work well with the color of your display. If the game has daytime and nighttime modes, it makes sense to use them. 

Healthy Sleeping Schedule 

Let’s pretend gamers want to get some good, healthy sleep. Sleep is a universal need for all people and plays a crucial role in proper recovery and overall health. 

People tend to play more at night, when they have more free time, don’t have to study or work, or take care of a hundred other things that our everyday lives throw at us. Many gaming-connected platforms like the CasinosHunter.com website prove that people play games more at night. However, obviously, this type of lifestyle interrupts normal sleeping routines. So, sleeping properly and following a natural schedule is often an issue for most gamers. 

However, those who still try to stick to normal physiological schedules and force themselves to get proper sleep also show better gaming skills. Sleep is necessary for fast reaction and mental health, and lack of sleep results in slow reaction and decreased cognitive function. 

Investing in Good Ergonomics

Next, let’s face the inevitable fact – most gamers are not that much into physical activity, or at least not in the middle of a dynamic and emotional gaming session. This is why ergonomics is one of the key elements in maintaining a more or less healthy gaming posture, thus preventing issues with wrists, elbows, and lower back. 

If you tend to play in long gaming sessions, you should also invest in proper hardware to keep the body and mind in better shape. An ergonomically designed chair that provides proper support for the back, neck, and arms, a user-friendly keyboard, and an ergonomic mouse to avoid wrist issues are three must-have items for any serious gamer.