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Dear Society,
I will never be too old to play video games. Life is short, and I get great pleasure from navigating a short Italian plumber through a world full of monsters.
Thank you,
A Lifelong Mario fan
I know that this well-crafted letter alone will not convince society of the benefits of video games for all ages. So, I have decided to compile a list of 5 reasons that you are never too old to play games. Hopefully, this list can convince my loved ones of the importance of video games in all stages of life. Feel free to use it as well, in case anyone in your life ever questions the necessity of video games in your life.
1. Stress Relief
Every human being, regardless of age, has some ritual that helps them to relieve the stress of their everyday life. As we age, these rituals can become even more important. If we do not take some time to de-stress, then it can have a negative effect on our lives and our health.
Many of us use video games for this purpose. They allow us to set down the weight of our lives for a period of time and enter into another world. These periods recharge us and allow us to return to our normal lives in a better state of mind.
2. Brain Health
Modern games feature immersive worlds that take a legitimate mental effort to negotiate and eventually conquer. Accomplishing these tasks engages very important parts of your brain and is essentially like a “workout” for your intellect. This article, found at Science Daily.com, explains that studies suggest that video games help to “shape” our brains. They develop regions of our brains and help them to work efficiently.
Brain health is a large concern as we age. It is critical to our overall health to maintain an active and engaged brain. Video games help us to exercise our brain in order to keep it working as it should. These benefits are evident throughout adulthood and into our old age.
3. Emotional Health
I don’t mean to bombard you with scientific studies…but that’s exactly what I’m going to do 🙂
Studies show that video games are a useful tool in fighting a litany of emotional problems, including depression. This study sought to determine whether or not video game intervention helped to decrease symptoms of depression. The researchers concluded that the group of individuals who played video games showed a decrease in rumination (dwelling on negative thoughts) and higher levels of cognitive response.
Video games give us something to focus on, something to accomplish. When our brains are focused on completing tasks in a game, we simply do not focus on the things in our lives that make us depressed. Of course, depression should be treated by a professional, but video games can be a useful tool with which to battle.
4. Bonding
Finding something in common with another person can be difficult at times. Video games can unite people who may not have much else in common. Any gamer knows that it is easy to talk for hours about strategies, future titles, and so many other topics.
They are especially useful to bond with children. As children enter into their teenage years it can get harder and harder to bond with them. Their interests change because they are on their way to becoming a different person. Fortunately, their interest in video games usually grows during these times. They are a great way to keep the lines of communication open and to develop a strong relationship with your growing children.
5. Learning
As we mentioned earlier, video games can improve your brain’s functioning. This also helps us to improve our ability to learn. This study suggests that playing action games not only improves your skills in the game but also improves the brain’s abilities on a more general scale.
As we age we are less and less likely to learn new things. Video games can stimulate our brains and leave us open to learning new things. This can have many positive effects on our lives and can even lead to success in other areas.
So, there we have it. I think this list, along with my letter, is good enough to convince even the most skeptical mother, father, wife, husband, etc. that there is no good reason to give up video games. Their benefits carry on through adulthood and into old age. Hopefully, this list can help you to form your argument if anyone tells you that you are too old to play games.
Now, if you will excuse me, I was just informed that my princess is in another castle.
