| Video games are a ten billion dollar industry and | | | | forget about that stressful day. It is beneficial to 'leave' |
| growing all the time. Since this industry has grown so | | | | reality and dumb out for a short amount of time. |
| much and many believe it will continue to grow, there is | | | | Prolonged exposure to video games, even the |
| no doubt that researchers have started to analyze the | | | | mundane ones, could lead to repetitive stress injures or |
| effects of playing these games. There are many | | | | addiction in a few cases. |
| positive effects including faster hand-eye coordination, | | | | Casual games are not the only way to relieve stress |
| strategic thinking, cooperative participation and careful | | | | but also video games in general. Casual games are |
| analyzing of in-game risk. These are great positive | | | | perhaps the easiest to learn but if you enjoy |
| effects and researchers are indicating that video | | | | challenges and have the extra time, pick up a more |
| games can be an easy and healthy way to relieve | | | | difficult game. The learning curve may be steeper but |
| stress too. | | | | the positive effects will remain. A few years ago, |
| Research has pointed out that playing a casual game | | | | there were articles written about the marines playing |
| for 30 minutes is a great way to relieve stress. A | | | | Halo in their off time. This may sound strange that |
| casual game is something that is easy to learn but | | | | marines in combat were playing combat focused |
| difficult to master. It could be as simple as | | | | games in their down time for enjoyment. However |
| minesweeper or hearts. These games are easy to | | | | strange this may sound for you and me, the effects |
| pick up and learn the few rules that exist. You can | | | | were enormous for them. It created cooperation and |
| play for a while, save your game and then return | | | | team building as they had structured competitive play |
| whenever you need to 'get away' and forget about | | | | along with playing against others online. Along with |
| reality for a few more minutes. You can pick right up | | | | these great positive outcomes, the most prominent |
| where you left off and continue your game without | | | | was the distraction and stress reliever that playing |
| losing anything. These two games, along with a few | | | | games like Halo created. It is important for marines to |
| others, come with windows and should be easy to find | | | | stay focused and certainly playing Halo is not part of |
| in your program menu. Furthermore, these games | | | | boot camp but the distraction it created allowed them |
| work in window mode meaning you can easily have it | | | | to be more productive in the 'real' battlefield. |
| open with other programs like word and excel. You | | | | Next time you are stressed out and want to get |
| can switch back and forth effortlessly and quickly if | | | | away, play a video game that you are familiar with |
| the boss is coming! | | | | and enjoy. This is a much easier and inexpensive than |
| Playing for 15 to 30 minutes a day will help concentrate | | | | planning a vacation or even resorting to alcohol to |
| your mind on something less important so you can | | | | relieve stress. |