Go ahead - play!

New study suggests playing video games decreases stress, may benefit test preparation

By: The Daily Barometer

Posted: 5/16/08

Students who find themselves stressed out from finals may want to sit back and play a game.

A recent study by The Stress Institute has linked playing casual online games with lower stress levels.

"Research shows blood pressure was found to be significantly elevated two weeks before college examinations, compared with post-examination levels," said Kathleen Hall, founder of The Stress Institute.

"Taking short breaks from the stress of college examinations to practice stress reduction techniques can reset your thermostat and help you perform better and stay healthy during exam season," Hall said.

The Stress Institute is a for-profit company that partnered with EA Games for the study.

Aside from producing a variety of computer games, EA Games owns Pogo.com, a free casual game website.

"Casual games, like those found on Pogo.com, have scientifically been shown to help anxiety, stress and blood pressure," said Dominic Guzzetti, public relations coordinator for EA Games.

The study found that students who took breaks to play casual games while studying for finals were less likely to experience stress during finals.

"I've played games right before a test," said Alan McCarthy, a freshman in electrical engineering. "It really does relieve stress. It gets you in the right state of mind."

Students are cautioned not to get carried away with gaming.

The Stress Institute also recommends taking time to exercise, eat well, talk to friends, laugh and practice other stress-relieving techniques.

Also, students should never let playing games prevent them from being fully prepared for tests.

"Playing online games isn't for everyone," said Kenny Tyler, a sophomore in construction engineering management. "I think I would be better off just studying."

There is little doubt that students need to take breaks during finals to stay healthy, whether it is with casual games or something else.

There are hundreds of websites that have free games, including Addictinggames.com, Miniclip.com, and Blitzgamer.com.

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