Gaming was probably the most popular way people used to cope with being stuck in their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic that shook the world last year. Starved for entertainment, people turned to gaming, even those who rarely or ever played games before. Evenings are usually the time when people fire up their PCs and consoles and go online to meet their friends and spend a couple of hours enjoying their favorite games. One of the questions that soon arose was how this impacts their rest and whether playing video games before bedtime affects sleep. We’ll try to answer that question.
The Importance of Sleep
Although there are still many mysteries we haven’t quite uncovered when it comes to sleep, some things are certain. The importance of sleep can’t be overstated when it comes to our overall health and well-being. It is crucial in lowering the risk of many diseases, like heart failures, preventing depression, and keeping us ready to face a new day. It is no wonder then that many studies have been conducted in this field, trying to determine the exact mechanisms behind sleeping and how we can improve it. However, one thing is certain, lack of sleep can have serious consequences to your health. Whatever that is affecting it, even gaming should be reduced to a minimum. Considering how many great upcoming games we have in 2021, the temptation can be high, but your health should always come first.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Lack of physical exertion and the development of modern technologies are among the main culprits that prevent us from sleeping well. Fortunately, technology is also helping us combat this. Among many products designed to improve the quality of sleep, memory foam mattresses are probably the most popular. You can read more about this great product and see for yourself just what advantages it offers over traditional mattresses. They are a bit pricier, but they offer so much that they are worth it. In fact, almost any product that helps you get a goodnight’s sleep is worth its price, considering how many people have trouble sleeping and the effects sleep deprivation has on their health. Another product that may be worth trying before going to your doctors about your sleeping are natural sleep supplement, as they can help with relaxing your body and mind therefore you should benefit from a long nights sleep.
Eating Habits
Eating habits are closely connected to gaming. People tend to schedule their meals around their gaming, often leaving it after they have finished a session. Usually, that means we stuff ourselves with food right before we go to bed, as we can’t very well leave the game and make a pause for eating. These late-night meals can have devastating effects on our sleep, as our body tries to digest huge amounts of food we ingested right as we are trying to get to sleep. Not only will this have terrible effects on our sleeping, but will also dramatically increase the risk of obesity.
Video Games and Sleep
Everything you do in excess is bad for you and that goes for gaming as well. Especially harmful are those late-night gaming sessions that tend to last until the early hours of the morning. Even if you have nothing to do the next day and you can afford to spend it in bed, they can mess up your internal clock and wreak havoc on your sleeping pattern. Young people can recover quickly from this, but the older you become, the harder it gets. Young professionals, who are still trying to find a balance between their gaming and their work schedule are especially at risk. They tend to struggle with their new responsibilities and often try to live their lives as if they are still in school. Needless to say, this rarely, if ever, works, and the consequences can be quite serious.
