Gaming is something that many people sometimes view as a vice, or something that isn’t worth the hype that it often gets. But being a gamer doesn’t just mean you sit in front of a screen all day. Gaming takes a certain kind of skill, determination, and a whole lot of practice. You have to have excellent hand-eye coordination, patience, and the right kind of equipment to play.
If you’re a lover of the game and you’re interested in taking your game to the next level, then this article is for you. There are plenty of ways to improve your gaming experience, up your performance, and just make your all-around gaming experience better. But which tactics are most effective?
Tons of brands out there offer gaming supplements and tools to help make your game better, but which ones can you trust? And do you even need all of those sugary, caffeine-infused supplements and drinks going into your body? As a gamer himself and a healthcare professional, Dr. Emil has the answers you’re looking for.
If you’re worried about energy drinks and harmful supplements that you think might not be good for your health, then instead opt for these healthier alternatives. There are better options out there than pumping yourself with caffeine to make your reflexes quicker so you can play well into the night.
In this article you’ll learn healthier strategies that can help you to improve your game without risking your health. Because in order to play your best, you have to feel your best. So skip out on those techniques that might damage your health, and instead try any of these 7 strategies that will help your game and have you playing your best in no time.
Here’s a look at what you can expect to learn from this article:
- What skills do you need to be a successful gamer?
- Can gaming negatively affect your health?
- 7 strategies to improve your game without risking your health and avoid the gamer supplement drama
What Skills Do You Need to be a Successful Gamer?
Being good at games takes so much more than just having natural skill
Gaming used to be something that people saw as a waste of time. But over the years, gaming has gained a new respect as something that needs special skills and can actually help you with some aspects of your life. With the development of the gaming community, ESports has become just one example of the positive gaming community. ESports is a place gamers can go to find out the latest news on their favorite games, learn tips to better their performance, and connect with other gamers.
But to be a successful gamer you need more than just a desire to play and a gaming community to be a part of. Gaming takes a lot of practice and a certain set of skills to be good at it. But mastering the game can not only give you a great sense of accomplishment, but it can also provide you with many attributes that you can positively apply to your real life.
Gaming can help improve reaction time, can make your problem-solving skills sharper, help you be a better communicator, give you more patience, and can supply you with a hobby that pushes you to be your best while being a part of a welcoming and positive community of people that share these same interests. Whether you’re just getting into gaming or you’re a regular who wants to improve their game, there are always ways to up your game, and doing so can give you even more positive outcomes to use in your daily life.
Can Gaming Negatively Affect Your Health?
Gaming has many positive effects, but what about the negatives?
Like all good things, gaming can become bad for you if you aren’t careful and you don’t take the proper precautions to prevent your game from having a negative impact on your health. Playing the game in moderation can help you hone your skills and better your reaction time in real life and give you valuable skills. But, too much can cause some less than ideal outcomes. Here’s some of the things to be careful and conscious about when gaming:
1. Lack of Sleep
This one might seem like an obvious one, but playing too many video games all night long can negatively affect your sleeping habits. Whether you are staying up all night to play your favorite game, or you’re playing your game right up to the time you go to sleep, too much gaming can change your sleeping habits; and not for the better. So keep in mind to give yourself some time before bed to wind down from your game and remember to not play through the night every single night. Sleep is important and without it you are more susceptible to other diseases and health issues.
2. Keep Your Eyes Healthy
Damage to your eyesight is one of the most-used arguments in debates against gaming. While you don’t have to completely stop playing your game, being aware of the strain gaming can take on your eyes is important. An easy way to help combat the negative effects blue light can often have on your eye health, try using blue light blocking glasses when you game and giving yourself a break every so often so your eyes can rest.
3. The Impact on Your Posture
Being hunched over for long periods of time isn’t doing anyone’s spine and posture a favor. When gaming, it can be easy to fall into the habit of hunching over your controller or leaning forward to get a better view of your game. But bad posture is something that can be hard to rectify, so give yourself the tools you need to help prevent it. Investing in a gaming chair that supports posture is one way to combat the effects gaming can have on your posture.
7 Strategies to Improve Your Game Without Risking Your Health
Here’s 7 ways of how you can get better at the game without compromising the impact on your health
Gaming is one of those things where no matter how good you are at it, there is always room for improvement. And if you’re passionate about the game, then your drive to be better will only motivate you to learn all you can to be a better gamer. The first thing you might do when trying to improve your gaming performance is to look up ways to do so. But with so much information out there and so many supplements that promise to help you play better, knowing what to listen to and which options are healthy can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, to make it easier for you, here are 7 strategies you can implement to improve your game without having to risk your own health or become a part of the gamer supplement drama at the same time.
1. Do Some Hand-Eye Coordination Exercises
Having good hand-eye coordination is crucial to a good gaming performance. Whether you are playing a fast-paced game that requires you to work quickly, or you like to play a game where you have to focus on multiple things at once, being able to work your controller while focusing on the screen can be the difference between a successful game and one where you find yourself always losing.
So it seems like a simple solution that improving your hand-eye reaction time can help your game. There are tons of ways to improve your hand-eye coordination from doing puzzles, to playing catch, to even learning to juggle. Another thing that is shown to improve hand-eye coordination? Playing video games. While this might sound counter productive, the more you play, the better your reaction time and hand-eye coordination will become.
2. Use Energy Drinks the Healthy Way
A concern many people have about using energy drinks to help improve your gaming experience is that energy drinks can be dangerous if not consumed properly. But, drinking energy drinks in moderation can actually be a good thing. Energy drinks work by helping your body to produce adrenaline which can help you have fast reaction times when gaming. But, some energy drinks are better for gaming than others so make sure to do your research.
3. Invest in Your Gaming Setup
There’s a reason why some of the best gamers out there have extensive game room setups. It’s no secret that having the right environment to work in can change your work ethic for the better, so why wouldn’t this apply to gaming? Investing in a gaming setup that gets you excited to play, makes your experience easier on your body, and all around just makes you happier and can improve your game more than you’d think.
There are plenty of ways to improve your gaming setup from adding cool lighting that is easier on the eyes, using a chair that is comfortable to spend long periods of time in, or investing in some new gaming gear that will help improve your performance. The effectiveness of what you choose will depend on your personal preferences, so play around with it until you begin to see a difference.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
This one might sound like an obvious tip, but there’s a reason why people say practice makes perfect. The more you practice and do something the better you will naturally get at it. This same concept applies to gaming as well. Not only can continuous play make you better at specific games, but your hand-eye coordination can improve and you can have faster reflexes when playing. So even if all you are doing to improve your game is to keep playing, then you’re doing more than you might think.
5. Incorporate a Safe Gaming Supplement into Your Routine
Not all gaming supplements are created equal, and some are healthier and safer than others. Gaming supplements can help improve your game in many different ways. When considering adding a gaming supplement to your performance routine, avoid the ones that are high in sugar or use caffeine to keep you energized. Instead, opt for a gaming supplement that combats the negative effects gaming can have on your health.
Dr. Emil’s XP-RX Gaming Capsules are one example of a healthier gaming supplement option. Not only is XP-RX backed by a real doctor, but it is also packed with vitamins and nutrients to naturally improve your gaming experience. XP-RX has a healthy dose of caffeine that is just enough to give yourself enough of an energy boost, teacrine to support dopamine production which can combat fatigue, vitamin D to support memory and brain function, and dynamine to support quicker response time. So if you’re curious about gaming supplements but are looking for a healthier option, then this one's for you.
6. Play in Moderation and Remember to Take Breaks
Anything can be a good thing in moderation, but too much of something can also be bad. So if you’re worried about the effect gaming can have on your health, but you still want to improve your game, then consider taking a break. It might sound like advice to do the opposite of what practicing your game can do for you, but your body needs a break from gaming just like any other sport or activity. If you want to perform your best when you play, then resting before and taking time to do something else can help.
7. Take on a Protege
Dr. Mathew Barr, an academic at the University of Glasgow’s Centre of Computing Science discusses something called the “protege effect." Essentially, Barr examines how teaching someone else to play can ultimately improve your own gaming performance. When you teach someone to play the game, you are more likely to recall things quicker and easier, and apply it to your game. Think of it as quizzing yourself to prepare for an upcoming test. You’re more likely to do better if you study.
It’s possible to improve your gaming experience without worrying about your health or developing harmful habits. All it takes is a mindfulness of how you play and effectively applying it to your gaming routine. When you’re trying to improve your game without risking negative effects on your health, use these 7 tips and you’ll be playing better without the health risks before you know it.
