When you hear "mobile games," do you think of adrenaline-pumping shooters? Wrong. There's an entire genre of games designed to do the exact opposite – lower your heart rate and induce a state of Zen. Games can be just as effective a tool for emotional regulation as meditation, and for many people, they are even easier to use.
Flow State: Escaping Worries
Why does stacking blocks or connecting dots calm you down? Because it puts the brain into a state of Flow. This is a state of deep concentration where you lose track of time and – most importantly – forget about yourself (and your problems). Games engage working memory to such an extent that there's "no room" in the brain for anxiety (which also requires memory resources).
Scientific Sources:
- McGonigal, J. (2011). "Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World".
