Esports has evolved into the most popular pastime and has fans of all ages nowadays. Video games may be a useful tool contrary to widely held beliefs. They help build social networks, mental skills, and commercial gigs.
However, various health problems stem from the seat pan hosting you at all hours. Parents and public health researchers want to see these effects minimized.
Gaming chairs appear on the scene as a savior of desk-bound geeks!
Manufactured with ergonomic and aesthetic features, they don’t only support a comfortable posture but also enhance your overall gaming setup. Still, it makes a huge investment – possibly, as much as your main PC. So, is the best gaming chair the end of all worries?
Are Gaming Chairs Overrated?
We need to assess the nature of health concerns associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
First, sitting in a bad posture invites muscle strain and back pain. Secondly, prolonged sitting robs you of the necessary amount and benefits of physical activity.
Gaming chairs are supposed to address the first type. And the finest of them are particularly good at it. They have lumbar pillows, plush backrests, and adjustable armrests. You can customize the dimensions of the chair accordingly, thus avoiding pressure on the shoulders, spine, and neck muscles.
You can buy an office chair for cheap. Doing so will snatch a racing-style bucket from the center of your room. Thus, a gaming chair can be overpriced, not overrated. Accusing it of a failed New Year’s resolution isn’t fair. You should be more active throughout the day.
If you’re only sweating over Fortnite or LoL to burn calories, there will be several health risks regardless of the sitting posture.
The CDC estimates that over 75% of high-school students in the US are insufficiently active. Chronic heart diseases, cancers, and type-2 diabetes are among the harmful effects of this negligence.
How to exercise while gaming?
The human body functions optimally when upright. You should develop an exercise regimen to compensate for screen exposure.
Aerobics stimulate the heart and lungs, such as running and cycling. Strength training builds your muscles and endurance. Both are crucial components of a healthy lifestyle.
You can easily modify your daily routine. For example, bike your way to school, do morning walks, or join a gym or yoga class. Simultaneously, enrich your diet. Include nutrient-rich foods: beans, greens, fruit, milk, cereals, and meat. It’s wise to consult a doctor prior.
We’re here to suggest how you can make gaming an interactive healthy activity in real time.
Fitness Gaming
Fitness gaming – or exergaming – is an emerging trend. Every year, such digital games are ranked among the best-sellers. These are operated with Playstation, Xbox, and similar handheld consoles by the player’s body movements as opposed to keys.
You can play various games, from fishing and boxing to golf and tennis. They virtually motivate you to dance as if on an actual field. The adrenaline rush is accompanied by in-game rewards too.
Get off the couch, burn the calories, and up the level.
In theory, active video games are the best bet to entertain and exercise altogether. Meanwhile, you won’t have to suffer fitness problems or sacrifice your hobby for the sake of it. The research at Baylor College of Medicine concludes like a gaming chair, just owning an exergame isn’t enough. The duration and difficulty level must be sustained for desired results.
Intermittent Exercise
Truth be told – active games don’t have a big fandom yet. They’re more expensive and somewhat repulsive than their online or social-network counterparts. Here’s the catch: these beloved expeditions come with long downtimes, i.e., when loading, downloading assets, or you’re dead early.
Do exercise instead of watching your remaining squad or that sluggish loading bar!
Recent studies have challenged the traditional view that gaming and exercise can’t go hand in hand. Fifteen minutes of intense cardio workout improved player’s performance in custom missions of the League of Legends. We suggest high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to fill load-screen animations.
Put crunches, squads, high knees, and jumping jacks in one round. Repeat this routine for 5-15 minutes. It’ll have a multitude of upsides. You’ll take a much-needed break from physical inactivity, thus gathering cardiometabolic benefits as well as concentration on the game.
Kids Gaming 101
Being a parent is tough. And if the youngsters spend too much time at the computer or console, dealing with the hobby could be a brain teaser. Video games are a fun activity, but they don’t necessarily have to be your child’s fitness antagonist.
In this day and age, it is nearly impossible to keep children away from digital media. Controlling it, however, is another story. Engage yourself in sporting activities and outdoor adventures and get the kids to join in. Explain the benefits, offering advice, being open, and praising your child’s good behaviors go a long way.
- The best gaming chair comes in handy. It enables gamers to sit comfortably for long sessions. Consider adjustability and warranty before purchase.
- Children need almost an hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in a day. The lack of exercise brings health risks. Don’t expect the top dollar you paid for a gaming chair to help.
- Limit the screen time. Make sure kids complete their schoolwork and dietary requirements. A digital planner assists in dividing routine between creativity, entertainment, and rest.
- Don’t auto-save your payment information to the device your children use. Only allow age-appropriate games – see PEGI ratings, for instance.
- Give games with motion sensors like Xbox Kinect and Wii. Ensure that children enjoy them. Otherwise, you can kick-start an interval workout during downtimes.
Buying a gaming chair is half the battle won!
Extended computer usage poses twofold problems. One is instant (muscle strain and upper back pain) that can be readily cured by sitting correctly. Ergo chairs are super helpful in this regard, be they stylish racecar seats or office staples.
However, the second problem arises from a lack of necessary physical activity. Even sitting in the best gaming chair in the world won’t fix that. Visits to the gym and exercise are the only way out.
