5 Ways to be Healthier While Gaming
The Gaming World is growing all over the globe at a staggering rate! From eSports filling up arenas, to video game streamers entertaining millions online, and much more. However the points of emphasis for gamers are generally on the game’s health attributes, and not the gamer’s. It’s all better games, faster networks, and improved technology. Gamer health is an unfortunate afterthought.
Health is an extremely important factor for gamers. It affects every facet of the player’s life. Individual health has a direct impact on a gamer’s energy, confidence, and gameplay performance. But the standard gaming arrangement doesn’t lend itself to healthy habits. We sit while we play and eat the fastest food to get back in the game.
Gaming doesn’t have to be unhealthy! Here are 4 tips that can get you on the path to being a healthier gamer.
1. Hydrate the Right Way
This one may seem small, but it's HUGE. As you venture to become a healthier gamer, you must be aware of your intake; that’s what your putting in your body. Sugary drinks are an easy way to stack up unnecessary calories while gaming: a can of soda is the calorie equivalent of walking 1 hour at a casual or moderate pace.
Next time you’re on the sticks, keep a zero calorie beverage close by. Or even better, drink a nice cold water to keep up with the recommended water intake. This decreases the amount of “empty calories” that you add on while playing your favorite games.
2. The 10-Minute Method
Gaming makes time go by super fast, every gamer knows this. But the 10-Minute Method uses a hyper focused time gap to help you get healthier. Next time you’re playing your favorite game, set a 1 hour timer on your phone. When that alarm goes off, hit your pause button and commit to 10 minutes of physical activity. Go for a walk, do an at-home workout, or get creative. Once your 10 minutes are done, hop back on the game and repeat. After 3.5 hours, you’d have reached the minimum requirement for daily exercise by NIH, and played 3 hours of video games!
3. Choose Your Fitness Game
Fitness games get a bad rep, and I won’t allow it! There are a ton of them, and they aren’t meant to replace your favorite games. Use them to add some exercise into your gaming routine. You can go hard on Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure, fitness games on VR, or Pokemon GO on mobile. Choose ONE fitness game, just one. And commit to playing it for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
If you pull off 30 minutes a day, you’re in the top 23% of active people in the entire US. If you go over 30 minutes, more power to you! Embrace the challenge of beating your high scores, and of course have fun!
If you don’t have any fitness games you like, you can rig up your own gaming system that lets you exercise while you play. I like to ride a stationary bike while I play Madden. You can follow my exergaming stream here.
4. Breathe During Loading Screens
Loading screens are a part of gaming. It seems no matter how fast your rig or console gets, there are still loading screens. Instead of getting impatient, use few seconds of downtime to practice breathing. Deep, slow breathing can increase the amount of oxygen in your body, slow your heart rate, and decrease stress.
How is that different from regular breathing? It turns out, many of us are breathing wrong and not giving our bodies as much oxygen as we could. Instead of shallow, short breathes, try a technique called box breathing:
Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds. Breathing should happen from the belly, not the chest.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Hold your lungs empty for 4 seconds.
Repeat.
This sounds simple, but you may find it takes a bit of practice to breathe this way. Once you get the hang of it, you will start to notice the effects that breathing can immediately have on your state-of-mind and body.
5. Snack Like a Pro
You knew we were gonna talk about this. You are what you eat, you know the old saying. That bag of chips or large fries aren’t the best counterpart to a long sitting session. Instead, next time you're on the game, keep a snack that is more light and nutritional. We’re talking fruits, veggies, nuts (unsalted if you’re feeling like a Boss), etc. Don’t have any ideas? Here’s a list of light and healthy snacks for you.
Straying away from anything sugary, greasy, salty, or heavy can help with your energy and your focus. Heavy foods tend to make us tired, and can eventually affect your gaming performance. Stay in the game with some light snacks!
If you don’t want to dirty your controller, I have a pro move for you: chopsticks. You can grab any light snack while gaming if you learn how to eat with chopsticks.
Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, keep in mind, the most important part of a game is you.
Pantheon is teaming up with Mo Rider to bring fitness and wellness content to gamers.
Mo Rider is a lifelong gamer committed to bringing health to the gaming world. A Fitness Madden Streamer on Facebook Gaming, his gaming community, the Sweaty Mob combines health, fitness, and positive mindsets along with our extraordinary passion for all things gaming. He holds a Bachelors in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry.