Guess what? Videogames can save your life! They get a bad rap most of the time for being addictive, adding to the obesity epidemic, and exposing kids to over-the-top violence. But research shows that playing videogames can also improve eyesight, help you lose weight, and yes, even save your life. Here are the facts, courtesy of Yahoo news:
- First, playing games can improve your vision. Studies show that first-person gamers are faster at things like reading the newspaper, recognizing random movie scenes, and picking out facial features in a photograph. Why? Because playing these games trains your brain to quickly process visual information. In other words, it’s like a work-out for your eyes and your mind.
- Next, videogames can help you lose weight! Companies are now building exercise right into their videogames. For example, Nintendo’s Wii console is completely motion activated. In other words, if you’re playing a tennis game, you actually have to stand up, hold the joystick like a racquet, and simulate hitting a ball while you interact with the TV screen. Also, schools are installing the “Dance Dance Revolution” game system. You have to follow the dance steps on the TV screen, and dance along by stepping on the appropriate colored lights on a special floor mat. It’s actually a really good cardio workout.
- Videogames can literally save your life. An Iowa State University study found that doctors who played videogames on a regular basis worked 27% faster, and made 37% fewer errors during surgical procedures. Why? Because videogames help improve hand-eye coordination, and those improvements help surgeons work more effectively. So, the next time you’re visiting your doctor, you might want to ask him if he owns a Nintendo system!