It seems like every time technology advances, so do our methods of entertaining ourselves. When video games were first conceived, they were simple little nuggets of fun to play on our computers or in arcade hang-out spots. Parents were worried that their kids were so drawn to video games that it became a controversial subject during the 1990s, and many parents to this day have banned their children from playing video games.
However, with the release of family-friendly video game consoles such as Nintendo’s offerings, we’re able to appreciate some of the benefits of gaming. Technology has continuously been improving our lives, and we’re even able to get around physical limitations such as our eyesight, so why can’t it also help our minds?
Portable Brain Training
In 2005, Nintendo released a game for their handheld DS console called “Brain Age”. It was a simple game that gave puzzles and questions to stimulate brain activity. The game was so effective at keeping brains active that even a 100-year old grandmother has been recorded to have a mental age of 64. She plays on her DS for a couple of hours each day and says that she doesn’t feel a day over the age of 80 thanks to Nintendo’s accessible handheld console.
By playing just a couple of minutes each day, Brain Age promises to help keep your mind active and healthy, and it’s much more fun and enjoyable (for most people) than doing a crossword in the daily newspaper.
Card Games
From Bridge to Solitaire, there’s a card game for everyone. Whether you’re playing casually with your friends and family or online making it big with www.netentbigwins.com, card games have been proven to stimulate our minds and improve our cognitive functions—especially in seniors.
It helps to keep our minds sharp just like Nintendo’s Brain Age game, and evidence has suggested that people who spend long stretches of time playing different card games are at a reduced risk of developing dementia.
Not only are they accessible to play online, they also make a great face-to-face social activity. Card games are a great way to both stimulate the mind and your social life, and people use it as a way to connect with others.
Boost Your Memory
Our memory is susceptible to ageing over time. Luckily for us, video games have been proven to reduce the rate at which it deteriorates and improve our memory. In a study carried about by neurobiologists at the University of California, it’s been discovered that people who play specific games had an increase in their memory recall ability. People that played Angry Birds saw no improvement, but those that played Super Mario saw an increase in about 12%.
Previous studies have shown that playing popular mobile games didn’t increase brain performance, but new research suggests that games with more problem solving can indeed help to stimulate the brain. So next time you’re playing a game of Candy Crush or Bejeweled on your phone, be pleased with yourself that you’re helping to keep your mind young and healthy and not just procrastinating.
