Here's Why Video Games Are Actually Healthy For You

Tell THAT to your parents!

We've all heard that age-old myth of video games being bad for you, but how much of that is complete BS?

We've found 10 studies completed in recent years that explore the possibilities of how video games can help people live happier and healthier lives. Here's how those many hours spent in front of your favorite game are good for you.

1. Video games promote relaxation and help fight anxiety.

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But you already know that! According to a 2014 review of research in American Psychologist, simple games that are easy to access and play (think Angry Birds or Candy Crush) are also quick to relieve emotional stress and anxiety.

"If playing video games simply makes people happier, this seems to be a fundamental emotional benefit to consider," says Isabela Granic, Ph.D., of Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

2. Video games may help improve your grades.

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The author of that same review also suggests that video games may help children develop crucial problem-solving skills, which in turn may have a direct effect on their school performance. Citing a long-term study published in 2013, the author says students who reported playing video games also reported an improvement in their grades that following year.

3. First-person shooters can lead to faster decision making.

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Cognitive scientists from the University of Rochester have found that regularly playing first-person shooters can help train people to be more attentive to their environments, as well as help improve faster decision making without sacrificing accuracy.

One of the study's authors, Daphne Bavelier says, "Action game players make more correct decisions per unit time. If you are a surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield, that can make all the difference."

4. Video games can help promote positive social behavior.

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In a 2014 study published by Radboud University Nijmegen, it was suggested that contrary to the myth of the "loner video game player," most games today are designed for multiplayer gaming situations and can actually promote good social skills.

The study reads, "Players seem to acquire important prosocial skills when they play games that are specifically designed to reward effective cooperation, support, and helping behaviors." Awesome!

5. They may even help combat PTSD, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative disease.

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According to a study provided by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, playing a video game for at least 30 minutes a day can help improve the function of brain areas crucial for "spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory and motor performance". All of which can prove beneficial to those suffering from mental disease and trauma.

6. Video games may even act as a pain reliever.

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In 2010, pain researchers presenting at the American Pain Society's annual scientific meeting reported that immersing oneself in virtual reality may cause a slight increase in the player's tolerance for actual pain, a benefit that the researchers say could be useful for treating chronic pain.

7. Video games can enhance mental clarity in older adults.

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In 2013, a study published in Nature suggests that regular gameplay by adults between the ages of 60-85 saw improvement in the participant's multitasking skills, as well as sustained attention to detail and memory span.

8. They may be able to help rehabilitate stroke victims.

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In 2013, occupational therapist Dr. Debbie Rand of Tel Aviv University and a team from Sheba Medical Center found that patients who had suffered a stroke and were treated with video game therapy experienced an improvement in grip strength and gait speed, as well as a continued improvement for three months following treatment.

9. Action games can help children with their dyslexia.

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A study published in Current Biology from the University of Padua found that children who suffer from dyslexia and played action video games for a total of 80 minutes per day experienced a profound improvement in their reading and writing capabilities. Engaging in these games dramatically improved their attention to detail, which in turn has a direct translation into their reading abilities.

10. Gaming can help fight depression.

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A group of researchers in New Zealand developed a video game called SPARX (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts) to test the positive effects of gaming on adolescents seeking treatment for their depression. What they found was that adolescents who received the video game treatment reduced their anxiety and depression on par with those who received the standard treatment. That said, 44% of video game participants actually achieved remission, compared to 26% in traditional care.