Gamer Essentials: Video Gaming and Taking Care of Yourself

Are you a hardcore gamer? Maybe just a casual weekend warrior? Regardless of how much you game there are some must know essentials that you need to implement into your gaming regimen to make sure you have a long, healthy, and prosperous gaming career. Check out these tips to get a leg up on our competition. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Eye Straining

Video games are generally played on a screen. When you look at a screen for long periods of time it can strain your eyes. Our eyes are not meant to look at bright screens for long periods, as screens didn't exist until recently in history. Avoid straining your eyes when playing, lower your contrast, and make sure to take regular breaks from your gaming marathons. Incorporating these positive habits will help you avoid eye straining and the associated negative effects. 

Sitting

Sitting is known to be not all that good for humans. Gaming generally involves a lot of sitting, often for prolonged periods of time. As with other activities that require this, there are often negative side effects that go along with it. Sitting for long periods of time can cause back, neck, spine, and a host of other issues. When gaming it is important to make sure you are using gaming chairs that are designed for support to make sure that you are treating your body properly when playing. Be sure to check online for reviews before picking yours to ensure it is the product best suited for you. Most leading gaming chairs reviewed will help you a lot in your quest for a healthier gaming experience. If you plan on going on a multiple hour raid in an MMORPG, or are doing a marathon online with your friends, the right gaming chair can have a big impact on your overall stamina and ability to play for extended periods.

Exercise/ Stretching

No matter what you like to do for fun, it is important to keep your body in good working order to maintain your overall health, and make sure that you can keep doing what you love for years to come. Regular exercise can help fight off lots of ailments, and as the old saying goes ‘a body in motion stays in motion'. Be sure to break up the amount of time you spend sitting and gaming with some exercise to keep in good shape, and feel better day to day. Some basic activities you could do while gaming include sit ups, planks, stationary biking, jogging on a treadmill, calisthenics, squats, wall sits, and many others. Another important thing to do regularly to keep healthy and limber is stretching. Stretching allows any tensions in your muscles which has built up over time to be released. This built up tension, if left unchecked, can cause long term negative health effects. For this reason we highly recommend taking regular breaks from your gaming to do some stretching. Areas of the body which must be stretched out when gaming include the forearms and finger muscles, the back, neck, and leg muscles. It is important not to overdo it when stretching as this can actually cause more harm than good. 

Vitamins and Supplements

Be sure to also incorporate supplements and vitamins into your routine to ensure your body is getting the proper fuel it needs after working out. Maintaining a healthy diet is part of everyone's life, regardless of what their K/D ratio is in their favorite shooter. For this reason it is important to eat properly and have a well balanced diet. Regardless of how carefully you eat, or how hard you try to get all your body's requirements, it can still be tricky to give your body every nutrient and vitamin it needs. Also, sometimes people can have ailments which affect their appetite. If you can't make your daily vitamin and protein intake by eating regular meals, for whatever reason, it is recommended to take daily vitamins and protein supplements. These can come in the form of multivitamins, protein shakes, or a combination of the two. Some key vitamins are potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and fish oil supplements. If you are having trouble figuring out your diet, don't hesitate to contact registered professionals.

Hopefully this article has been helpful at informing you of some essential tips which can help take your gaming to the next level. Whether you are a pro, total noob, or a casual player, this article has something to help you. Don't hesitate, take these steps to make sure you are taking care of yourself and your body while gaming.