7 health benefits of playing video games

Gaming can reduce stress, refine motor skills, improve your vision, and more

Videogames
(Image credit: ThinkStock/Wavebreak Media)

Your parents may have tried to kick you off your Super Nintendo just about every time you sat down in front of it because they were concerned about how it might affect your long-term health. Plenty of studies have shown that games that don't require a lot of physical movement can have an adverse effect on children as they grow older. But perhaps counter-intuitively, there have also been several studies touting the health benefits of gaming.

1. Video games are therapeutic for children with chronic illnesses

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Danny Gallagher is a freelance writer, blogger, and humorist. He can be found on the web at www.dannygallagher.net and on Twitter @thisisdannyg.