Gaming has become a popular pastime for most people worldwide, providing relaxation and a temporary escape from real life. About 2.7 billion gamers are gaining some benefits from this hobby, such as increasing cognitive function and sharpening hand-eye coordination. However, just like any other activity, failure to indulge responsibly can have potentially harmful effects that may cause some severe harm. Are you a keen gamer who’s interested in how to play safely? Here are six tips you should consider.
1. Protect yourself from cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is fast becoming one of the most common threats in the modern digital age, especially among young people. The exposure you have to various people in the anonymous online gaming world makes it a convenient place for cyberbullies. Cyberbullying activities typically take the form of unwelcome sexual remarks, spreading rumours, making threats, name-calling, and hate speech. To protect yourself, many experts recommend reporting online bullying to the game’s customer support service as well as your parents. It would be best if you considered reporting prolonged, threatening and abusive bullying to the police.
2. Get enough sleep
There is a strong correlation between excessive gaming habits and sleep deprivation. It is typical for most gamers to become so engrossed in their games that they delay sleep for more game time. Sleep is vital to the body’s overall physical and mental health and well-being. Not getting enough sleep is linked to many health problems like heart disease and weight gain. Health experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep daily as the optimum amount of time to spend resting. You should follow this advice to ensure your health and well-being are in good shape.
3. Engage in more physical activity
Gaming involves spending long hours sitting behind your screen with little or no interruptions. As a result, the tendency to develop a sedentary lifestyle is typically high among gamers. Since physical exercise is an excellent way for you to keep in shape, a sedentary lifestyle causes quite the opposite. Science tells us that a continuous lack of physical activity can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, among others. Therefore, you should regulate your gaming habits by including a few minutes of physical activity, like stretching or walking into your routine. Doing this will save you from many health issues.
4. Protect your vision
Staring at your computer or television screen for extended periods can have serious long-term effects on your vision. The implication is that a demographic group like gamers are particularly at risk for vision problems. Your extended focus on well-lit screens while blinking less can result in eye dryness, discomfort, headaches, and blurry vision. Positioning the screen far from you is also the right way of reducing the amount of dangerous light that hits your eyes. Experts also recommend taking regular breaks from the screen with the famous “20-20-20 rule” by looking twenty feet away from your screen for twenty seconds every twenty minutes. Finally, it would help if you considered wearing proper eyewear to protect your eyes during screen usage. Visit this website to find out more about safety glasses that will shield your eyes during gaming.
5. Take Extra Precautions Online
Gamers must be aware of several online safety protocols that they must implement to safeguard their security. It would be best if you conceal your true identity for starters, which means no real names or pictures. Xbox ambassadors recommend never giving out personal information like addresses and phone numbers, as stalkers or fraudsters can use this against you later. You should have strong account passwords and secure your Wi-Fi using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) before you go online. This makes it difficult to trace your location. It would help if you also were alert against too good to be true in-game purchases because they could be malware threats.
6. Maintain good posture
You can become so immersed in your game that you pay little to no attention to posture. Scientific studies say bad posture has many adverse effects on your spine, which puts stress on your back, neck, and shoulders. Therefore, you should invest in good gaming ergonomics to set up a gaming station that protects your posture and preserves your health. It would help if you get an ergonomic gaming desk, adjust your mouse, keyboard, and monitor, and buy a gaming chair that provides your back with excellent support while you play. Investing in good gaming ergonomics prevents common issues like wrist and back pain, fatigue, poor circulation, and stress.
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