We are all for this stress reliever.
Is work getting on top of you? Do you feel like you are so stressed out about all the little things in your job that your head is about to explode?
You know what you need? A good cup of tea, a few biscuits and a go on your favourite video game. In fact, you should suggest to your boss about introducing a video break every hour on the hour, similar to that of a coffee or cigarette break.
A new study has found that playing video games on your break is actually better for you than completely switching off from technology or spending your break completely relaxing.
How did the scientists come up with this correlation? Well, the researchers used a computer-based task which consisted of a lot of thinking and use of the brain giving the participants “cognitive fatigue.”
After doing the task, they would then be given a five-minute break to rest and in this period, they would either be told to, play a video game called Sushi Cat, take part in a relaxation activity or simply just sit on their own without any technology.
Stress levels and overall mood, as well as cognitive performance, were tested throughout the study and the scientists found that those who played Sushi Cat on their break, felt better and more active when they resumed the computer-based task.
There were 66 participants in total and those who played the video games were the only people to feel better going back to the task. Those who did the relaxation test felt less stressed but didn’t feel better and those who had no technology at all felt even more stressed after their break was over.
You would think that staring at a screen on your break would be more tiring for your eyes than actually just chilling out but as you well know, you can’t argue with science.
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