Are Competitive Esports and Gaming Damaging to Physical and Mental Health?

Esports is becoming increasingly popular with the number of esport enthusiasts increasing by 37 million viewers between 2019 and 2021. This may mean a huge increase for the number of people wanting to take gaming seriously in the future. What does this mean for esports and those wanting to pursue it as a career? Well, attempting to achieve this goal involves lots of practice and dedication. According to British Esports Association, it is not uncommon for professionals to practice for 16 hours each day. So, what implications can this have on a person both physically and mentally?

Physical Health Implications

Tweet by Royal Never Give Up about Jian “Uzi” Zihao’s retirement

Some physical implications of competitive esports can include eye fatigue, blurry vision, low back pain, tension headaches, and poor posture. These are caused by playing games for too long and not having enough breaks. Spending many hours at a time sitting down and playing games can result in a lack of physical activity. Lack of physical activity and too much sitting down is a worldwide problem which is associated with obesity in children and adolescents. Research has found that childhood obesity can predict developments of chronic conditions in adulthood and poor fundamental motor skills. This was evident in an esports player; Jian “Uzi” Zihao, ex-professional League of Legends player, announced his retirement from the game because of medical advice due to chronic injuries. 

He said, “As a result of staying up late for years, a fatty diet and being under insurmountable stress, last year I found out I was a type-2 diabetic…”. It is clear that the amount of practice needed for an Esports player can have its toll on their physical health. This is a serious problem that can have long-term effects on players. So, how can we prevent this from happening? 

A lot of these problems arise from practicing for several hours a day. If you are interested in taking esports seriously, the British Esports Association released a guide which highlights the importance of ‘regular breaks’ and to create a ‘schedule and routine’ to stick to. 

Mental Health Implications

Ryan Pessoa/Redbull

Practicing all day and going to bed late can have serious consequences for mental health and psychological well-being. Lack of sleep is associated with emotional problems such as depressive moods, confusion, anxiety, and fatigue. For adolescents, insufficient sleep may cause a wide range of psychological and behavioural problems including depression. Additionally, Long hours of gaming have been associated with several mental problems such as depression, social phobia, hyperactivity disorder, obsession-compulsion, and gaming addiction.

In an Interview with British Esports, when asked “How does doing sport affect your mental health and would you say it helps improve your esports work in some way?”, Ryan Pessoa responded, “Very important. Especially as an esports player because my job revolves around me sitting at a gaming desk for long periods of time… in terms of mental health, it [sport] helps me focus on something other than esports”. Echoing the importance of physical activity, the British Esports Association recommends trying doing some small exercises like push-ups, stretches, or even going for a walk. 

Another way to prevent and protect an esports competitor against negative mental consequences is to equip them with psychological tools. Research has highlighted the importance of mental skills training and the need for sport psychologists within esports to improve coping with the mental consequences. 

Conclusions

It is evident that playing esports professionally involves lots of practice which can lead to several physical and mental health implications. The physical implications can be obesity, eye problems, and difficulty sleeping. The potential mental problems may include depression, social phobia, and hyperactivity disorder.

It is important that esport competitors, or those wanting to pursue a career in esports, properly plan a schedule or routine, with appropriate breaks. For example, playing one or two games then having a break, with perhaps a short walk, or getting up and away from the desk. It is important to stay active, as well as keep a healthy mindset. Esports can be mentally challenging and can cause stress so getting up and away from the desk is crucial for both physical and mental health. This is recommended by the British Esport Association. Physical and mental well-being is crucial and with the continuous rise in esport participation, it is essential that individuals take this seriously to stay healthy.

Blog written by Sam Hart