Video games can help with stress relief by improving emotional awareness, providing a sense of accomplishment, and developing coping skills. Video games can be a good distraction as they engage the mind in focused activity. Also, they can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which leads to a more relaxed state of mind. One can temporarily forget about worries and stress by allowing you to focus on the game.
An engaging gameplay can lead to a flow state that makes one completely immersed, which is highly relaxing. Many games provide positive feedback and rewards, boosting mood and reducing stress. Apart from all these factors, video games can challenge one’s problem-solving skills and quick thinking can be mentally stimulating and offer a sense of accomplishment.
However, some of the important considerations for a game to help with stress management, include genre, moderation, and individual needs. This article will discuss the best, popular video games for stress relief. So, keep reading to learn more.
7 best video games for stress relief
Video games relieve stress because they enhance emotional awareness, coping skills, and the sense of accomplishment. By playing video games, players become better at identifying and managing negative emotions, learning new strategies for solving problems, and developing interceptive awareness. In addition, through video games, players can develop a set of coping skills for dealing with stress and learn how to respond during times of stress.
For instance, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games foster teamwork and strategy, which would help players develop resilience and stress management. In addition to calming the mind and easing stress, video games provide a feeling of accomplishment. Games have objectives to achieve that give purpose and keep one engaged. It also creates a social environment where people can interact.
Here are the 7 best video games for stress management:
1. Journey
The Journey is considered a stress-relieving game because of its calming and immersive atmosphere. Its simple gameplay mechanics, beautiful visuals, and emotional narrative allow players to escape from daily stress and experience a sense of peace. The game involves exploring a visually stunning desert landscape accompanied by a soothing soundtrack, creating a meditative and relaxing experience.
This game is considered best for relieving stress because it provides a space to focus on the journey itself rather than intense challenges or competition. The key factors contributing to its stress-relieving nature include minimalist gameplay, beautiful visuals and soundscape, emotional narrative, corporative play with strangers, and no pressure or time constraints.
2. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is one of the best stress-relieving video games because it is a laid-back farming simulation game that allows players to work at their own pace. This game provides a sense of accomplishment through tending crops, raising animals, and building relationships with townspeople. The game is set in a calming, visually appealing environment with minimal pressure or time constraints, which helps relax the mind and eliminate stress.
Some of the key aspects that contribute to its stress-relieving nature are its predictable routine, positive feedback loops, creative freedom, gentle pace, and aesthetic appeal. The cyclical nature of seasons and farming can be relaxing and the game provides auditory rewards for actions, providing satisfaction. Also, players can customize their farm layout, choose which crops to grow, and much more, offering control and personal agency.
3. No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Sky helps with stress relief as it is an action adventure-driven survival game. It lets players explore infinite galaxies at their own pace. The game showcases a procedurally generated universe, brimming with mysterious planets and unique star systems. Its relaxing space travel offers a creative mode that encourages freedom of exploration over managing survival aspects. The game is a visual treat, which helps one manage stress and be relaxed. It is about fantasy and offers the experience of piloting a spaceship and exploring the unknown universe.
4. Aminal Crossing: New Horizons
Aminal Cross: New Horizons is a stress-relieving game because it encourages players to slow down and engage with nature in building relationships. The game’s lack of urgency and autonomy is what helps calm the mind and make the players feel more in control. The game’s real-world time sync and limited daily actions encourage players to take it easy and there are no deadlines to finish the game, so players can focus on enjoying the process.
Also, players can explore the island and feel connected to nature and the beauty around them. Another main advantage of the game is that players can set and achieve their own goals and practice curiosity and discovery, leading to mindfulness and growth.
5. Gris
Gris is an adventure game that helps relieve stress. The game helps overcome tragedy through visuals, music, and providing a sense of hope. It has minimal challenges but lets the players fully engage with its emotionally resonant narrative at their own pace. Simply put, it is a melancholic game about difficult emotions and throughout the game, the main character can take a breath in, but she cannot sing.
This game is about traveling to new locations to collect lights and restore color to her world. Towards the end of the game, Gris, the main character gets back the ability to sing, which brings life to various plants and mechanical animals.
6. Prune
Prune is one of the best stress-relieving games because of its minimalist, calming visuals, gentle music, and simple gameplay mechanics. The game is focused on carefully growing and shaping a tree by pruning branches. It creates a meditative expression where the payers get to focus on the act of nurturing a digital plant toward the light. The game does not have any pressure of time or complex objectives, which offers a soothing and controlling environment that helps engage in a creative process. Some key aspects that contribute to its stress-relieving nature include simple controls, visual aesthetics, no punishment for mistakes, a calming soundtrack, and focus on the process.
7. Minecraft
Minecraft is a game that helps with stress management as it allows players to engage in creative building, providing an outlet for self-expression. The game offers a sense of immersion in a safe and open world where they can focus on problem-solving. The repetitive, calming tasks like mining and crafting provide a mental escape from real-life stressors.
Some of the key aspects that contribute to stress relief include creative freedom, repetitive tasks, an immersive environment, control and agency, and problem-solving challenges. The game lets players build almost anything they can imagine, which allows for self-expression and a sense of accomplishment. Also, the engaging nature of the game helps take the mind off real-world worries.
Also Read: Gaming For Mental Health: How Video Games Can Be Therapeutic?
Conclusion
Video games can be a great way to relieve stress as they help us feel good, improve focus, and connect with others. They help calm the mind by supporting mental stimulation, dopamine secretion, a sense of achievement, a flow state, social connections, and creativity. They enhance emotional awareness, coping skills, and a sense of accomplishment. Some of the best games that help manage stress are Journey, Stardew Valley, No Man’s Sky, Aminal Cross: New Horizons, Gris, Prune, and Minecraft.
These games let players identify and manage negative emotions, learn strategies for solving problems, develop awareness, and encourage interaction. They help develop coping skills to handle stressful situations and the best part is that these games provide objectives to achieve. Achieving these objectives gives a sense of satisfaction and increases the feeling of pleasure and reward.
