Can Playing Games Help You De-Stress?

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

If you suffer from stress from time to time, you might turn to activities such as exercise or meditation to help you deal with it. But could playing games also be a solution? Playing games can be an enjoyable activity that focuses your mind elsewhere, and gives your brain a little workout too! 

Learn more about the ways games can help you de-stress, and take a look at some game recommendations you can play the next time you need a little time to yourself.

Games and stress

While playing games can be viewed with some negativity, especially where gaming is excessive or involves violent games, many positives come with playing games. Studies have shown that playing games can have benefits for mental health, but as many people stop playing games as kids, they could be missing out on things such as:

  • Improved concentration and cognitive skills
  • Better memory
  • Boosted creativity 
  • Social opportunities

And of course, reduced stress.

Many people come home from work or school and use gaming to switch off. It gives you the chance to focus your mind elsewhere and forget about outside noise for a bit. If you can be sensible with your gaming, then there’s no reason why it can’t be an effective form of stress relief for you when you need it.

Games that are great for stress relief

There are several games that are ideal for helping you relieve some stress, including:

Chess

Chess is a fantastic activity for helping you beat stress. Chess can often be slow-paced and relaxing, and can be a social game if you play with a partner. It requires focus and concentration, and can be a good way to shift your mind away from a stressful day. Chess is also a game that lets you improve your skills over time, giving you a sense of achievement as you become more confident with your gameplay.

Sudoku

Sudoku is a game with a simple concept, but comes with many benefits for the brain. It can help keep your mind sharp, and the simple structure of sudoku means you can simply relax into it. Play on your phone, keep a sudoku book to hand or simply draw your own sudoku puzzle and get ready to problem-solve whenever you need a little break!  

Solitaire

Solitaire is a classic game that many people turn to when they want to relax and ease stress. After being included on many PCs in the early days, it’s a game that most people are familiar with – so it could be time to rediscover it and see how it can help you relax. You can find places to play spider solitaire for free, letting you play on the move. It’s a fun way to pass the time when commuting or you need a little break from work, helping you refocus your brain ready for the next task.

Digital painting

Painting can be very therapeutic, but not everyone has easy access to paints and a sketchbook when they need to unwind. Digital painting is a great solution, and can be a fun game to help you relax. Simply colour in from your phone or tablet and watch your stress disappear as you create beautiful virtual artwork.  

Puzzles 

Relaxing at home with a puzzle can be another enjoyable activity to help you beat stress. Puzzles grew in popularity during the pandemic, and now many people choose to complete puzzles either alone, with a partner or friends and family. Use it as an alternative to watching TV to help you switch off and ease the mental load.

Match games

Match games like Bejewelled are an excellent way to help you relax. The concept is simple, all you need to do is match objects to complete puzzles. It sounds like a monotonous task, but the simplicity is what many people enjoy, and could be a great way to relax when you need to take a little break.

Retro games

Want to discover some of the fun of your childhood? Consider giving some retro games a try. Retro games are fun and simple and will bring a little nostalgia to your life – which could be just what you need to cheer you up after a long day. With many Super Nintendo games available on Nintendo Switch, you can soon play old faves like Super Mario World and Star Fox online. Which old favourites will you discover?

Finding something you enjoy doing after a tough day is good for your mental health, helping you de-stress and find some calm in your life. Playing games is a great activity to help you unwind, so the next time you feel under pressure, why not take a break and play a game to see the difference it can make?

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