Many people enjoy playing games to relieve stress, bond with friends, and get a healthy dose of escapism. While there’s no harm in gaming for these benefits, the wise do say that too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Playing games most of the day can lead to health consequences, like chronic back pain from sitting down. Moreover, research finds that video games can be bad for the heart if you tend to play stressful video games for extended periods. That’s not to mention gaming’s effects on other things, like your posture and eyesight—more so if you don’t practice healthy habits.
To continue gaming while prioritizing your health, here are some tips you can follow as an active gamer:
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Be mindful of your posture
When you’re too comfortable gaming, you may not notice how you’re hunched over to get a closer look at the screen or reach the controllers better. After hours of sitting hunched, you could experience chronic pain or back injuries, like strained spinal disks.
Since you play all day, you might as well do it while practicing better posture. That’s why you should consider investing in a gaming chair for lumbar support. The Morphling Cyberflex gaming chair from Espace Technology is designed with gamers in mind to prioritize comfort and performance. Its 3D lumbar support system adapts to your posture and movements, ensuring your back is properly supported while gaming. With it, you can keep gaming for extended periods without experiencing fatigue, aches, or pains. It’s a great investment to make, especially if you can’t consciously fix your posture.
Protect your eyes from strain
Staring at a screen for hours can lead to eye strain. Digital screens emit blue light, which, when received at regular intervals from the sun, can boost alertness and elevate mood. As an active gamer, however, you’re constantly exposed to blue light that damages your retinal cells, causes early vision loss, and results in eye pain.
Luckily, you can get digital protection from blue light glasses. These glasses shield your eyes from blue light and its harmful effects. Eyebuydirect’s glasses effectively reduce your blue light exposure between 415 nm and 455 nm—the wavelength that comes from long hours in front of a screen. The brand also offers premium-level blue light lenses, like the EBDBlue 360, with an anti-reflective coating. This can prevent dizziness when playing games that have fast graphics. Ultimately, wearing blue light glasses guarantees eye comfort for long gaming sessions.
Choose healthier gaming snacks
Snacking is inevitable while gaming. Since you’re seated for long hours, you’ll eventually get hungry.
If you usually munch on classics like chips, popcorn, and soda, though, eating too much during your long gaming session can contribute to weight gain, which in turn can lead to conditions like diabetes. That said, try to reach for more nutritious (yet delicious) snacks as alternatives. After all, eating healthier can induce positive emotions, so you can avoid gamer rage and feel happier when celebrating your wins. Some healthy foods you can snack on include sliced fruits like apples, mixed nuts, frozen yogurt, and granola bars. Try keeping them near your gaming setup for easy access throughout the day (or night).
Commit to a sleeping schedule
With some engrossing games, it’s tempting to keep playing well into the night. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation can disrupt your concentration the following day, leading to insomnia and possibly turning into fatigue.
That’s why it’s ideal to commit to a sleeping schedule in a bid to improve your health. You can play for hours during the day but log off when bedtime comes. Setting an alarm can help you know when you need to finish a round or level. It’s also best to turn off your screen 1–2 hours before bed to allow melatonin to surge through your body and make you sleepy. You can set the reminder on your gaming PC so you don’t forget.
While gaming can bring you joy, it might lead to health consequences if you don’t practice healthy habits. To stay healthy enough to keep gaming, follow our tips above!
