Card games are not a new thing; many people play them for entertainment. However, the games can also have mental and emotional health benefits. Rummy, bridge, and poker are some of the card games that keep the mind active, thus boosting concentration. They also can be a social outlet, allowing people to connect, converse, and be happy and healthy.
Below are some of the mental and emotional health benefits associated with playing card games regularly.
1: Better Mental Health
Over the past couple of years, different studies were conducted that looked at the decisive impact card games have on the mental health of the players. For instance, the University of Wisconsin-Madison did some research that found card games can help improve people’s mental capacities in old age; this is as reported by the Alzheimer’s Research United Kingdom.
Since 1981, there have been numerous studies done with the participants being the elderly aged 90+ from the retirement community of Laguna Woods Village in California. The researches looked at the health issues of the senior citizens and have covered more than 14,000 participants to date. The findings indicated the aging folk who engage more in mental activities like playing card games are less likely to suffer from dementia.
According to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, studies suggest that leisure activities reduce the risk of dementia as a person ages, and events like card games show promising results in offering mental health benefits among the elderly.
2: Improved Personal Development
Any opportunity to learn something new is always an exciting experience. Card games are one of the ways that a person can learn a new skill that might look simple on the surface, but can take a lifetime to hone.
For instance, bridge is a fun skilled-based game. Every player must learn and abide by the rules, and while it is not that hard to grasp them in a short time, players always improve on their skills and tactics irrespective of the many times they have played. Poker is another perfect example, a game that has straightforward rules but requires patience and practice to be a great player.
Therefore, this type of games offer an opportunity to learn, develop, and master new skills and strategies that can also be applied in life while having fun. You can hone your skills online with many card games such as poker and baccarat.
3: Improved Math Skills And Logical Thinking
Most card games require fast wits, use of mental arithmetic, which are abilities that many people seldom deploy in real-world circumstances.
Players must employ logical thinking in card games. Guesswork will have little to no positive outcomes. Instead, you must think through every move you make while trying to figure out the cards the other player holds. By challenging our mind in such a manner, you get to develop and improve your mental and emotional wellbeing.
4: Develop Better Concentration, Patience And Discipline
When playing card games against serious contenders, every player will concentrate on every hand played. They can do this for hours without realizing it, becoming engrossed in the game. It is a situation that requires significant self-control to help avoid making rash decisions that potentially throw the game.
You will weight up options, sieving through different information you gather as you play, all the while waiting for the perfect moment to make your move. As such, patience will be a virtue in the game, which is a quality people often lack. However, patience will be a rewarding trait in card games, and it can also be improved as you pay more and more.
5: Learn How To Cope With Losing
If there are winners, there are losers. Losing might be hard, but it should be viewed as a learning lesson, something that card games can help people learn. People lose when playing cards, even the best at the game will, at times, concede defeat.
However, losing in card games also demands something. A player should be composed when they fail, especially after putting in lots of effort into the game. Learn how to move on, pinpoint your mistakes so that you do not repeat them, and you will turn those short-term losses into long-term wins.
6: Relax & Unwind
For ardent card players, the perfect way to unwind after a stressful day is shuffling a deck of cards and going a few rounds with a worthy contender. Card games can be a fun way to relax, refocus, and regain control of the day’s events. It is one of the enjoyable ways of taking your mind off other issues without lazing about in the house. One great option as well is Pokémon Trading Cards.
7: Memory-Boosting Skills
A game of cards every other day can help improve short-term memory. Most card games require memorizing, which is a skill that can be helpful for the elderly, helping them sharpen their minds. The routine demands of remembering different details in a card game can have a positive impact in real-world situations.
8: Better Social Life
Lastly, games are fun social activities that bring people together. Playing cards can be an effective way of encouraging social engagement, which is one of the essential elements in leading a happy and healthy life.
The Guardian recently published an article referencing research done by Oxford Economics that suggested people who eat alone tend to be unhappy. It also pointed out the importance of socializing; having friends is vital for a fulfilling lifestyle.
An article in the New York times quotes Cynthia Green, the founder of Memory Arts, touching on the difference between computer-based card games and the physical card games shared face-to-face with another person.
According to Green, computer games do not provide any significant chance for meaningful social engagement. She adds that there is something special in activities that involve interactions with real people.
Time For A Game?
Rummy, bridge, poker, or any of the many variants of card games out there, the primary reason people love these games is the fun elements and the opportunity to socialize. However, they also are activities that have emotional and mental health benefits.