Importance of playing games

When you play healthy games, the following happens to you:
• It relieves stress – Play is fun and can trigger the release of hormones called endorphins which promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• It improves brain function – Playing board games, completing puzzles, or related activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function.
• It stimulates the mind and boost creativity – Young children often learn best when they are playing—a principle that applies to adults, as well. You’ll learn a new task better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems.
• It improves relationships and your connection to others – Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to include a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.
• It keeps you feeling young and energized – Play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.