How To Stay Fit During Online Gaming
Exercise before; stretch, hydrate, and snack healthily during. These are simple things you can do to stay fit during online gaming.
It’s said that over 2.6 billion people now play games online, making it one of the most popular pastimes on the planet.
Still, while those partaking in gaming are enjoying the experience, it’s not conducive to maintaining good health.
Online gaming sessions can see players sitting at their desks for hours, which can lead to various problems such as being at a higher risk of obesity with poor eating habits.
Also, it can lead to multiple physical ailments such as repetitive stress injuries to muscles and tendons.
The Rise Of Online Gaming During The Pandemic
The above issues have been magnified during the pandemic, as more of us were forced to stay at home, which led to over 500 million new gamers logging on, according to Euronews.
It’s not just one gaming genre that has raised its numbers of players either; new online gamers have discovered much more than just first-person shooters and World of Warcraft.
More people also watched others enjoy their gaming sessions online, as viewer numbers on the streaming platform Twitch grew by 50%.
Meanwhile, Poker.org noted that online poker filled a void for those who were locked out of their favorite entertainment venues with those wishing to play poker turning to online tournaments.
That might have been in one of the five states with legalized money games, or playing purely for the social aspect on free-to-play titles such as Zynga.
Many of these new poker players turned to their mobiles for gaming and they weren’t alone; the pandemic brought on a 75% increase in people playing games on their phones.
What’s just as remarkable is that industry experts from IDC, suggest that those numbers won’t drop, even though we’re now coming out of the other side of the restrictions.
While online gaming continues to rise, the associated health risks remain and will be prevalent in more people’s lives.
If you’re one of the players who’ve only recently headed online, read on to discover how you can level up your health and stay in the game.
How To Stay Fit During Online Gaming
Here are six simple tips to help you stay fir during online gaming:
1. Workout First, Game Second
Partaking in a ten-to-fifteen-minute exercise session in the morning helps keep you feeling fresh for the rest of the day.
Exercise releases the feel-good chemicals in your brain called endorphins, which can aid focus and keep you optimistic. If you’re in a better mood, then you’re more likely not to suffer a bad beat online.
Consider treating a quick session as the key to unlocking your door to the online world. Set yourself a target of a ten-minute run or something such as 30 sit-ups before you log on to your favorite game.
2. Stretching
As we’ve already alluded to, long gaming sessions can put pressure on your joints, so you must stretch.
Stretching keeps your body flexible and improves mobility and stability, as well as aiding blood circulation.
While this can help you up the ante over your gaming opponent on-screen, it’s also something else that can help those who regularly work at a desk, too, as we’ve previously covered in this article.
Try moving your wrists in circles, flexing your fingers, and stretching your wrists at least once per hour.
Every video game title will have a moment of downtime, such as when you’re switching between game lobbies; use it to your advantage.
3. VR Exercise
Another huge growth area in gaming has come in the number of people who like to immerse themselves in the world of virtual reality.
However, the titles aren’t all ones that thrust you onto the frontline of battle or sit gamers in control of a fast car because there are so many games on the various platforms built around fitness.
By downloading one of these titles, and challenging your friends to beat your score, you’re doubling down on both your gaming and fitness regime.
4. Hydration
Staying hydrated is the easiest thing you can do if you want to get healthier.
When you drink enough water, you boost your brain performance, increase your energy level, and also lower your calorie intake.
Moreover, proper hydration helps prevent kidney stones and promotes a healthy heart.
So have a big bottle of water and a cup next to you and drink a few cups while at the computer. This way you will stay hydrated and maybe even perform better.
5. Healthy Snacks
If you want to stay fit during online gaming you need to pay attention to your snacking habits.
Instead of the usual sugary (and unhealthy) treats, try some of the following examples of healthy snacks:
- Have a bag of mixed nuts;
- Make yourself some healthy sandwiches with apple slices and peanut butter.
- You can even indulge in some popcorn;
- Oatmeal is another healthy snack you can have;
- Get creative and choose healthy protein bars, protein shakes, or protein crisps;
- Don’t want to bother yourself with which type of snacks to choose, then just go for some fruits and veggies. Baby carrots are great, or you can choose some mixed berries, you get the picture.
Make sure that next time you sit at your desk you have something healthy to snack on. It will boost your mood, aid digestion, and help you stay fit and healthy in the long run.
6. Commitment
Practice making perfect is something that we hear all the time, but it’s something that can make a difference for gamers.
Players will often commit hours to get past the most arduous challenges, such as defeating that level-ending boss or leaping to that highest ledge to unlock a secret room.
It’s entirely possible to apply that same dedication to an exercise routine. And if you commit yourself to your health and fitness, in the same manner, you do to your digital hobby, you’ll reap the rewards.
The Takeaway
It’s great to unwind and play online games from time to time. There are even professional gamers that spend most of their time playing online games.
That’s okay as long as you take regular breaks and do some sort of exercise.
So make sure to do your workout before starting your gaming session and take regular breaks to stretch your entire body.
