The importance of a good night’s sleep is beneficial, on many levels, for general fitness and well-being. It has many health benefits, from improved cognitive performance to easier weight management and a stronger immune system: the importance of sleep cannot be underestimated.
Specific hobbies are also affected by the quality of sleep and require that a person practice good sleeping patterns. For instance, if you go to the gym in the morning before work, you’ll need a good night’s sleep so you feel wide awake and refreshed when pressing iron.
Online gamers who spend hours upon hours each day in front of a computer also need to get good sleep. For example, there are online gamers who compete professionally for big prizes. One such big competition is the League of Legends tournament, where the prize money is around $7,300,000. In the world of professional online poker, Phil Ivey took home $400,000 for winning the 2021 WPT Heads Up Championship. In competitions as big as those, maintaining healthy sleeping habits is a must to improve one’s cognitive powers and maintain focus.
You’ll certainly need to get a good night’s sleep before competing if you’re an online gamer. With that in mind, this article will tell you why good sleep is important, and we’ll offer you some tips to improve your sleep.
1. The Effects of Sleep on Online Gaming
Online gamers can play during the day or night or all throughout the morning, thus sleeping less. Recent studies have shown that online gaming can impact an avid gamer’s sleeping trend. There are three factors that contribute to the online gaming effect: sleep quality, duration of sleep, and overall health.
Gamers that slept less (shorter duration) experienced several negative implications, such as loss of focus, inability to concentrate, depressed moods, and poor gaming performance.
2. Why Online Gamers Need Sleep
Reaction Times
A gamer’s quick reaction time is one of the most important skills, regardless of the game being played. Without it, they’ll be easily beaten by the competition and unable to survive another game. People who play poker online will often be juggling multiple tables and, therefore, must be quick to think and react. Reaction time after a good night’s sleep is vastly improved, making it essential for those competing. Surely, Phil Ivey made it a priority to get a good night’s rest to be at the top of his game when he won $400,000.
Better Mood
When gamers are about to compete, they’ll need to be in their peak state. Studies have shown that when people are sleep deprived, they experience negative moods such as anger, frustration, irritability, and sadness. Pros can’t afford to be in this state of mind if they want to win. On the other hand, good quality sleep can make a gamer feel fully recharged and in a positive mood and enhance their overall well-being. People who play League of Legends and get a good night’s sleep will be in good spirits when they join their teams for their chance to win a piece of the annual prize money.
Memory
A player’s good memory is one of the biggest assets in any game. If the player can’t recall a map or remember secret codes, they can get stuck and fail at a mission. When gamers get a good night’s sleep, memories are strengthened, and certain procedures, like executing special moves, can actually improve with a fully rested mind. People who play Call of Duty: Mobile will easily be able to remember all the secret locations for the best advantage when sniping.
3. Tips for Online Gamers To Get Better Sleep
Luckily, there are some things gamers can do to improve their sleeping patterns. Firstly, set a sleeping schedule, so your body clock gets accustomed to regular sleeping habits daily and night. Secondly, create a relaxing sleeping environment which means having a comfortable bed, turning off bright lights and removing any form of distractions. Thirdly, avoid late-night caffeine as it can keep you awake while trying to sleep.
Getting high-quality sleep every night will give you an edge, whether exploring ruins, looking for enemy soldiers, being dealt in at a poker table or sniping from your vantage point. It’s important to remember that this time if you don’t snooze, you lose!
If you want to get a better night’s sleep, there are some yoga poses you can try to help, which we covered in a recent article.
