If you’re an avid gamer, you know that the act of playing games can take a toll on your body. Headaches, nausea, dizziness and other symptoms are common. But, if you’re experiencing these symptoms while you’re playing video games, there are some things you can do to alleviate them. Read on to find out how.
1. Drink plenty of water
Water is one of the most important compounds in the body. It helps you feel full, regulates your temperature, and transports nutrients from your blood to your cells. It's also a vital component of many bodily processes, like digestion and hydration, says Ryan Andrews, RD, of Precision Nutrition in Norwalk, Connecticut.
It is essential to drink plenty of water when playing online gaming because it helps reduce stress, improves your mood, and boosts cognitive function. It is also a powerful way to prevent headaches, which can have a negative impact on your performance in video games and other activities.
Mood is often a major factor in your gaming performance, so it's crucial to keep yourself in the right frame of mind. It's been shown that dehydration has a dramatic effect on your mood and can cause increased feelings of anger, confusion, fatigue, and tension.
Dehydration can also negatively affect your skin. If you're not properly hydrated, your skin can become dry, clammy, and itchy. In addition, you may experience poor skin turgor and muscle cramps.
As a result, it's crucial to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your game. Try to drink at least two glasses of water before a match, and make sure you take a few sips while playing.
Another study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found that people who played video games during stressful conditions had lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who did not play. Puzzle and simulation games, such as Tetris and The Sims, were particularly effective at relieving stress.
The study found that participants' stress levels were lower after they had completed a challenge in the game than those who didn't. This is because when you're in a high-stress environment, you're more likely to react aggressively.
Similarly, exercise is known to be a great stress reliever and is very accessible. It's important to find an activity you enjoy - go to the gym, take a walk or join a class - and try to incorporate it into your daily routine.
As a result, you can easily relax and enjoy your gaming sessions without the hassle of dealing with stress. But it's important to remember that your problems are still there, and you need to manage them in a healthy way rather than letting them get the best of you.
2. Take a nap
A power nap can help you fight the post-lunch slump and improve your performance. It also can boost your mood, as rest and relaxation can reduce stress and improve your energy level.
But not all naps are created equal, and you should only take them in moderation. Long naps may disrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to fall asleep at night. If you have a sleeping disorder or have been diagnosed with insomnia, napping during the day may make it even harder to sleep at night.
Generally, adults should nap only between 15 and 90 minutes. A longer nap could interfere with your sleep at night and cause you to feel groggy when you wake up, says Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center.
According to a 2015 study, people who regularly took a daytime nap of 60 minutes or more had a higher risk of heart disease and dying from all causes compared to those who didn't. In addition, long naps can affect your memory and cognitive ability.
For many, a short nap will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your next task. For others, a 20-minute nap can be enough to kick-start your brain and boost productivity.
However, if you're not sure if a nap is the best way to get your energy back up, consult with a sleep expert. It's especially important for people who work shift schedules or other jobs that can make it tough to get enough sleep at night.
Naps can help you focus and remember things, but if you're tired or overly drowsy, they won't do much to improve your gaming skills. They can, however, boost your mood and lift your spirits.
But if you find that your need for naps is increasing, it's worth checking in with your doctor. A sudden increase in fatigue might mean that you're not getting enough sleep or that there's a health issue, such as a new medication you're taking.
For most, the ideal time to nap is early in the afternoon. But if you're working late at night, napping after 3 p.m. can interfere with your sleep at night, says Kushida and Grandner.
3. Change your posture
Changing your posture can help you play games for longer without pain. This is important, as gaming is a repetitive activity that puts strain on your body. Whether you're playing for leisure or for a competitive career, your posture is an important factor in determining how well you perform and how long you can continue playing before your body breaks down.
In fact, a lot of professional gamers suffer from back, neck, and wrist pain due to poor posture. This could result in a serious injury that will stop you from playing and even cost your gaming career.
As well as putting pressure on the joints and muscles of your neck, shoulders, and back, bad posture can also put unnecessary stress on your nerves. This can lead to conditions like pinched nerves, de Quervain's tenosynovitis and radial styloid tenosynovitis (often called "gamer's thumb"), or numbness in your hands or fingers.
You can avoid these problems by making sure you're sitting in a comfortable position, and that you're moving around every so often to get some exercise. This can also reduce the risk of developing a health condition such as edema or diabetes.
Ideally, your monitor should be about an arm's length in front of you, and the top should be slightly below eye level. This will allow you to adjust the lighting on your screen to a much lower level than it would be when you were looking directly at it. This can improve your eye health and reduce the chances of headaches.
Another important tip is to keep your wrists straight while you're gaming. Arching your wrists up or down can increase the risk of wrist injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which can make it difficult to play games. Game Boost
One of the best ways to avoid these issues is to get yourself a good gaming chair that supports your spine properly. This will prevent you from slouching and causing damage to your neck, shoulders, and back.
Having the correct gaming posture will also help you to perform better in games and practice sessions, as it will allow you to concentrate on your gameplay and won't be putting strain on the rest of your body. This can also help to reduce your chances of experiencing health problems such as eye fatigue, numbness, and joint and muscle pain.
4. Change your game
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