#5 Psychological Benefits of Online Games Card games have long been identified as aids to improve the concentration and memory of players

Online games are swiftly evolving into the most engaging form of entertainment today. The advancement of technology and the increasing usage of the internet have allowed conventional games to become virtually accessible, significantly enhancing their reach and the joy of gaming enthusiasts. Various card games have also made a transition into the digital world, and have become extremely popular – the mix of skills, strategy, and luck make them compelling for millions of online Indians.

Card games have long been identified as aids to improve the concentration and memory of players, especially games like Rummy that provide one of the best forms of mental workout. Lowering stress, relaxing the mind, improving time-management skills, and enhancing your judgment and analytical skills are just some of the benefits that playing card games like rummy online can bring to players. Here is how online games are beneficial to players:

Stress Relief

Research has corroborated conventional wisdom that playing online card games has substantial psychological benefits. Studies have indicated that regular players of card games show lower stress levels, with cortisol – one of the primary stress-related hormones – being 17% less in card game players. Furthermore, card games – apart from guaranteeing fun and excitement – also help you relax and be happier, especially at the end of a long and tiresome day.

Skill Development

Challenging card games with friends are known to improve memory, concentration, and analytical skills that add to your overall mental enrichment. Several card games involve money and strategy, requiring absolute concentration and attentiveness — whether you are playing alone or with a group of friends. Being extremely conscious of every move by an opponent, trying to catch their "tells' or any giveaway in their behaviour or action is guaranteed to make you more alert and perceptive of the actions of the people around you, even outside the game. Card games induce cognitive and interpersonal skill development, thus helping in keeping your brain in the best shape.

Staying Engaged

While games depend heavily on short-term memory, they have also been proven to improve long-term memory and other important skills. A mundane routine and boredom often lead to mental stagnation, but there are far too many instances in our lives when we find ourselves without anything to do. Online games can step in to fill up this vacuum, keeping you occupied and active mentally and psychologically. Playing games against virtual opponents or human opponents in a virtual setting is as cognitively engaging as playing with a human in the real world.

While there is a lack of conversation and social interaction, this often leads to greater depths of focus and concentration. The entertainment in a game comes from the competitive nature of the activity. However, the allied benefits that it provides in terms of your health cannot be ignored.

Interaction

Online games also promote communication and teamwork. Providing people an incentive to work with each other to win at games helps them interact better with others at their workspaces or in their day-to-day lives offline. This is especially helpful for introverts, as it allows them to communicate with other people through a medium that is more tangibly under their control. This can enable them to get more comfortable with interpersonal interactions.

Entertainment

Online games address a common human need of entertainment with convenience. You can play games anytime, from anywhere, and on any internet-enabled device, even while you're on the go. From listless commuters to people in waiting rooms, online games enable us to occupy time which would be otherwise wasted in doing nothing. Players can pick from a variety of games to suit their need, and get their entertainment fix more efficiently than before.

Besides, online games offer good competition as well as a host of other rewards and benefits — everyday jackpots, reward point tournaments, and festive bonanzas, which ensure that there is always something to look forward to. Online portals often have video tutorials and practise games to aid newcomers and beginners, so that they can get accustomed to the game and sharpen their skills before entering the fray.

These platforms have user-friendly interfaces, encryption-based security, chat-based customer support, and a host of other features and benefits to make the online gaming experience a pleasurable one.

Altogether, playing online games help players develop complex problem-solving skills, leadership skills, and the ability to deal better with unexpected consequences. They also enhance a player's skills of observation, intuitive abilities, and hone their alertness and concentration. They can be a welcome and relaxing experience in the busy modern life, offering stress relief while developing key social skills.