Video games are good for you?

There is plenty of talk that goes around from people opposed to video games, saying that certain games are going to make us violent or desensitize our youth to the evils of the world.  But score one for our side, because new studies are showing that video games are actually good for our health in certain ways.  It’s not just the fitness games like you might find on the Wii that they’re talking about either, but others, such as puzzle games and - gasp! - action games.

One study conducted by North CarolinaStateUniversity focused on senior health.  Looking at a test group of 140 seniors that lived alone, they found that those who played video games, even casually, showed fewer problems with the depression that is common with aging.  They’re not exactly sure why, but the theory is that since they are having fun, seniors feel that their golden years are being used more productively.  This has further been backed up with studies from other organizations. 

Another study along the same lines looks at the effects of video games on kids.  In particular they were looking at children’s reading skill and specifically at those kids who suffer from dyslexia.  The study showed that kids who played action games for more then an hour a day average had increased attention spans, resulting in greater improvements to their reading abilities.

Now that these sorts of studies are being made and producing positive results, video game health is being taken more seriously.  One article briefly explains how some are even “prescribing” active games like Dance, Dance Revolution in order to help combat conditions such as obesity.

Video gamers rejoice, for all that time spent in front of your console is not as bad for you as some might suggest.  Heck, we’re even getting smarter for all our lost time.  Though I’m sure even the most game-friendly researcher would still advise against 16-hour Skyrim binges, so some of us are still in trouble.

Health Pac-Man courtesy Nancy via Wikicommons