10 Surprising Ways Video Games Are Actually Good For You

10. Slow The Natural Aging Process

Don't want to become a crazy old cat lady in your old age? A study conducted by the University of Iowa found that regularly playing a video game specifically designed by the team stalled the natural decline of cognitive skills by up to seven years for some participants. The research followed 681 healthy adults aged 50+ over a period of five to eight weeks. One group were given computerized crossword puzzles to complete while the other groups played a video game called Road Tour, which involved matching pictures of vehicles while remembering the location of particular road signs. Those who played the game for just two hours a week displayed significant differences in the degree of mental decay that naturally occurs as a side effect of aging. The professors involved in the research suggest that completing almost any task that requires concentration strengthens your mental faculties, so playing video games can be like exercise for the brain, although this depends on the actual game being played of course. It may be hard to persuade retirement homes to encourage weekly games of Leisure Suit Larry without giving the seniors a heart attack or two.