In the world of esports, health and fitness can be a concern for some players. The long hours of practice and the sedentary lifestyle that comes with being a gamer can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and other health issues.
Here are 5 health and fitness tips for your gamer.
Taking Breaks
It’s important for anyone sitting and staring at a screen for long periods of time to take frequent breaks to avoid eye strain and to improve overall blood flow. Gamers tend to focus more attentively, blinking less while also sitting very still.
To counter this, every once in a while your gamer should try taking a break from looking at the monitor for a few minutes, stand up and move around a little, do a few head and neck and hand stretches. Taking a break can help one avoid Burnout, or also known as Gaming Fatigue.
The most important break-taking technique—sleep!
Adequate Sleep
Just like all athletes, gamers need adequate rest for efficient recovery. The body and mind need a break from everyday strain. Like restarting your PC. Getting a good night’s rest will prepare your brain for more efficient decision making and ready your gamer for more effective learning throughout the day.
Without a good night’s rest, gamers can feel sluggish or slower; in-game and out. This then leads to a lack of performance that caffeine can’t even save.
Correct Posture
A lot of your gamers’ health can be assisted by having the correct posture. Sitting for prolonged periods of time can put tension on your lower back. Your ears should be aligned at your shoulders with your shoulders back and relaxed.
Try to avoid slouching, this creates bad posture habits and can cause reduced blood circulation and back pain. Stretching regularly can help protect your gamer from injury, try these warmup and cooldown stretches by Esports Healthcare here!
Healthy Diet
Eating healthy doesn’t necessarily mean spending all day in the kitchen preparing meals. Gamer or not, many of us don’t have the time and energy to cook everything from scratch.
Eating whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and proteins will give you more energy than processed foods such as potato chips and sweets. This also includes staying hydrated regularly. Of course, water isn’t the only option one has for staying hydrated, but going easy on the energy drinks will decrease added sugars in your gamers diet.
Exercising Regularly
There’s a long list of physical benefits that exercise has on the body; building muscle, endurance, improved health conditions, etc. But for gamers we must also consider the psychological benefits as well as the physical. According to the American Psychological Association, your brain releases serotonin and dopamine which increase mood and suppresses stress responses.
Resistance to fatigue can be beneficial for any gamer playing at a high intensity for longer periods of time. Exercise can help your gamer maintain a healthy lifestyle while also keeping them at the top of their game.
