Healthy gaming: breaks, rested eyes and balance with the rest of life

A good gaming session flies by. Before you notice, two or three hours have gone by in the same position, staring at the same screen. That is no reason for guilt: gaming is a great way to relax and meet friends. But like any long activity in front of a screen, it calls for some care so it does not take a toll on your body and routine.

This article gathers recommendations from health organizations, cited at the end, and turns them into habits that are easy to fit between matches. It does not replace advice from a health professional: if any discomfort persists, see one.

Your eyes: the 20-20-20 rule

People who spend a lot of time looking at screens may feel what is called digital eye strain. The most common signs are tired, sore or dry eyes, watering, blurred vision, headache and redness. One reason is that we blink less in front of a screen, and the eyes dry out.

The best-known recommendation to ease the problem is the 20-20-20 rule, endorsed by bodies such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association: every 20 minutes of screen time, take a 20-second break looking at something at least 20 feet, about 6 meters, away. This relaxes the muscles the eyes use to focus up close. Research on the rule is still limited, but it is simple and costs nothing.

In games, 20 minutes is roughly one quick match. The end of a match is a great natural reminder to look out the window for a few seconds.

Screen, light and distance

• Keep the screen at a comfortable distance. For computer monitors, the cited recommendation is about 64 centimeters, with your gaze slightly downward.
• Adjust brightness and contrast so you can read text without effort.
• Avoid window and lamp reflections on the screen; anti-glare filters help.
• Remember to blink, especially during moments of intense focus.
• Keep your eye exams up to date. Uncorrected vision problems are a common cause of eye strain.

Your body: get up from the chair

Sitting for a long time can also bring neck, back and shoulder pain, and the sources recommend getting up and walking from time to time. The solution, again, is breaks: get up, walk around the house a little, stretch your arms, refill your water bottle. Between one matchmaking queue and the next there is plenty of time for that. A comfortable chair and a controller or keyboard placed so it does not strain your arms also help you finish the session without discomfort.

Your routine: when gaming starts taking up too much space

The World Health Organization included gaming disorder in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, ICD-11, released in mid-2018. According to the WHO, it is marked by three features: impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other interests and daily activities, and continuing or increasing gaming despite negative consequences. For a diagnosis, this pattern must cause significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational or occupational life and normally be evident for at least 12 months.

The WHO itself stresses that studies show the disorder affects only a small share of people who play. In other words: loving video games and spending a Sunday afternoon playing is not a disease. What the organization recommends is paying attention to the time spent gaming, especially when it starts to replace other activities, and to changes in physical and psychological health and social life that may be linked to it.

Signs it is worth taking a longer break

• Often skipping sleep, meals or study to keep playing.
• Getting irritated every time you have to stop.
• Losing interest in friends, sports and other hobbies you used to enjoy.
• Promising to play less and failing, several times in a row.

If you recognize yourself in several of these points for a long time, it is worth talking to someone you trust and seeing a health professional. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Habits that help day to day

• Decide beforehand how many matches you will play, instead of playing until you are worn out.
• Use the playtime limits on consoles and phones; they work for adults too.
• Turn off game notifications at night.
• Alternate games with activities away from the screen, such as going out, playing sports or reading.
• Play with friends and family: the social side of gaming is one of its healthiest parts.

In short

Healthy gaming does not require big changes: short breaks for your eyes, getting up from the chair now and then, a well-adjusted screen and attention to the place gaming takes in your routine. With that care, video games remain what they should be, fun that adds to life instead of taking its place.