Study: Video games help people relax

Apart from having a comfortable pillow to help make you sleep better, did you know that video games can actually help you feel more relaxed?

Video games are often frowned upon as something that lends to an unhealthy lifestyle. Most parents tell their kids that Nintendo or PlayStations are bad because these consoles make people anti-social and can offer up violent content. Of course, several scientific studies have debunked these beliefs, and now, it would seem that they actually do more good than initially thought by most.

Howard Markman, a doctor from the University of Denver undertook a study that proves the connection between video games and relaxation between couples. The study goes as far as saying this part of a relationship is more important for the man, as most male gamers say “what better way to spend stress-free time with your significant other than by playing games?”

Markman’s long-term study, which he started as early as 1996, has a control group of about 200 people in their second year of marriage. They were asked how often they shared exciting activities that they find fun and relaxing.

In the study, one activity stood out from the rest. According to most of the 200 people, the activity that they liked the most – which they find fun and stress-free – was playing video games. Gamer couples usually spend more time together than regular couples, especially those that play longer games to finish such a MMORPGs or competitive ones that yield in-game or monetary rewards. The study also revealed that because of video games, couples were talking to each other more. The time spent together is an important part of a relationship for women according to the research.

As a conclusion, it would seem that when couples play, they get more than what they bargained for. It’s like playing a game of chess on Facebook or any other social game; some people have even met their significant other through these pursuits. In fact, perhaps all games have more than just their entertainment value at the core of their service. Apart from helping people relax and allowing them to meet others, games help people have lucid dreams, according to Live Science.

In addition, games also help professionals become more creative, and this is evident with the slew of new titles that were spun from classics. Often, crossover games help aid creativity because of their varied and innovative mechanics. Popular crossovers like Fortune Street which combines Mario and Dragon Quest or Slingo Extreme that integrates slots with bingo, currently hosted on online gaming hub Pocketfruity, are just some of the interesting gaming titles out there for casuals. The off-kilter nature of games such as the aforementioned have been known to encourage creative thoughts and thinking outside of the box because players gain a new perspective on things they are facing in their work, hobbies and relationships.

In short, video games are useful, and, in moderation, studies have proved that they are actually very beneficial rather than harmful.

Are there any games that you find help you to relax after a hard days work? Let us know in the comments section below.

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