Get Your A-Game ON!

Are you just a casual gamer, an aspiring or a professional gamer? Regardless of which, don’t you hate losing a match over declining focus? There are ways to sharpen your gaming strategies by upgrading to the newest gear, watching gameplay or purchasing more in-game items. But what you might not realise is that your gaming habits might be holding you back!

Gaming is an activity that requires an intense level of focus, dedication, patience, skills and time. To become a better gamer, you will also need to ensure your health is in its best condition. Without a healthy body, you might not be able to withstand the negative effects of long hours spent in video gaming, which can affect your overall health and well-being. Here’s what we should do to counter them.

#1 Physical strain on your eyes and body
An average gamer spends about 8.6 hours per week playing video games[1]. Spending hours playing video games can cause further strain on your eyes and body. Some common strains include dry eyes, blurred vision and headaches. Furthermore, staring at your devices for a long time can create stiffness in your back and shoulder, potentially affecting your posture. If these concerns are neglected, it will further deteriorate your body, unable to perform your best as a result.

Therefore, start taking responsibility for your health for better gaming performance! Apply the 20-20-20 rule by looking at something that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes spent on the screen[2]. If you tend to lose track of timing, set an alarm to always remind yourself to take regular breaks away from your digital devices. To prevent risks of potential vision problems caused by blue light, one can consume green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and yellow carrots which contain high in lutein and zeaxanthin[3]. You can take them in the form of supplements as well. The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin can help to filter blue light rays on the eyes.

Be mindful to keep stretching your body and relax your eyes during gaming sessions. Based on a research, a 15-minute exercise is highly recommended to boost video game performance. It helps to increase attention span and improve cognitive processes[4]. Going on a brisk walk at the park or following home video workouts could freshen your mind and perform better. Pilates workout is also a good alternative to stretch your body and relieve muscle stiffness. This will help to curb the discomfort associated with prolonged hours of video gaming. Therefore, going for physical exercises isn’t a waste of time but is very beneficial in the long run.

#2 Lack of Sleep
Blue light interferes with the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep at night. When coupled with the effects of blue light, it is very easy to neglect sleep since you do not feel sleepy. However, sleep deprivation will impact the brain’s functioning and cause delays in responses the next day at work, in school or when you are gaming.

To ensure that you get sufficient sleep, it is important to set time limits each time you play video games. Be disciplined by establishing a gaming routine to make sure you get to enjoy your entertainment without compromising your 7 hours of sleep per night[5]. Avoid using electronic devices at least an hour before sleep to improve your sleep quality throughout the night[6]. This allows your brain to unwind and relax so that your circadian rhythm is balanced. However, if you are unable to do so, you can consider wearing blue light-blocking eyewear or having an application that filters the blue wavelength at night.

#3 Fatigue & Lethargic
Excessive screen time can cause fatigue and unrelenting stress to the body, causing our cognitive decline that may or may not be reversible. Hence, spending too much time on video games can affect critical brain processes including short-term memory, attention and concentration preventing us from functioning at optimal levels[7].

Having good and consistent cognitive skills is what every gamer needs to take their performance to another level. Gaming can sometimes be complex and requires cognitive abilities such as involving analogy, processing speed, deductive reasoning and reaction time. If the body is constantly in poor health, the body is unable to perform at its best. Consider multivitamins, a combination of vitamins such as Vitamin A, C, D and E, potassium, magnesium, zinc and more to help rejuvenate the body and delay the onset of cognitive fatigue, especially for gamers due to the long hours of gaming.

#4 Lower Self-Esteem
When gaming, it is easy to lose touch with reality. When you are so immersed in your virtual environment, these experiences can sometimes be transferred into the real world, especially when you are on a losing streak. This could result in low self-esteem and low mood which can lead to anxiety and hostility. The virtual world can sometimes be a dangerous place if one were to spend too much time immersed in it. When you spend most of your time playing video games, you can find yourself caring more about your virtual image, which could negatively impact how you perceive yourself.

To perform at your best, building relationships with fellow gamers can make a huge positive difference in your gaming experience. Find friends who are nice and supportive to build confidence and boost the team’s morale together.

#5 Poor Eating Habits & Lifestyle
Playing video games can be a prolonged sedentary activity as you are constantly in a fixed position for hours. Being physically inactive for long periods can also increase the risk of obesity, slowing down metabolism, sleep disorders, and other health-related issues.

Time always passes by really fast when you are having fun. It is easy to lose track of time, neglect meal time and end up settling for instant foods. Not taking meals on time could potentially cause gastric, and slowing down metabolism. Constant snacking on junk food isn’t very nutritious to your body either. Additionally, studies show that prolonged sitting might affect your blood glucose and insulin levels as well as the buildup of fat in your bloodstream.

To push your gaming skills to the next level, always love your body first by taking care of them through exercising, and eating nutritional foods to feed your body and brain to ensure optimal health.

Perhaps, changing your lifestyle habits and taking healthier options is the breakthrough you’ll need to get your A-game ON and turn every match into a win! Your body will thank you for a lifetime!

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/273829/average-game-hours-per-day-of-video-gamers-in-selected-countries/#:~:text=The%20global%20average%20was%208.45%20weekly%20hours%20of%20gaming.

[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/20-20-20-rule#definition

[3] https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-lutein

[4] https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/07/league-of-legends-study-cardio-improves-video-game-performance.html

[5] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/how-much-sleep#:~:text=Experts%20recommend%20that%20adults%20sleep,or%20more%20hours%20a%20night.

[6] https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/sleep/screens-and-your-sleep-the-impact-of-nighttime-use#:~:text=How%20Much%20is%20Too%20Much,before%20sleep%2C%20at%20a%20minimum.

[7] https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/can-screen-time-cause-health-issues