Gaming can be an excellent way to spend your downtime. Gaming is also remarkably beneficial for both children and adults, encouraging critical thinking and stimulating creativity. Furthermore, gaming can open up a vast world of potential career paths, from streaming to game design. 

That being said, as is the case with any hobby or profession, you can always have too much of a good thing. Gaming burnout occurs when gamers feel detached and begin to lose interest in their pastime. While this may be alarming as you start to question why you spent all that money on gaming PC components and all the latest AAA titles, there are methods of tackling gaming burnout. Read on to find out more.

Take Regular Breaks

Regular breaks are not only beneficial for avoiding burnout, but they can reduce the risk of health complaints such as backache, eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Medical experts advise taking a quick 5-20 minute break every hour. Furthermore, you should take a break if you recognise the signs of fatigue, including tiredness, headache, slow reaction times and irritability. If nothing else, staying fresh and alert by taking regular breaks will vastly improve your gameplay performance. 

Switch Up Your Gaming Library

Some gamers can repeatedly play the same handful of titles and never become bored; others require variety to keep things interesting. If your favourite title no longer sparks the same joy it once did, it may be time to give it a break and move on to something different, at least for a little while. With such a wide variety of exceptional games available – estimated at a whopping 2.96 billion – you’re bound to discover something that rekindles your enjoyment. 

Play Something Calming

High-energy, fast-paced games such as first-person shooters, as fun as they are, can be draining, particularly if you’re competing against other players. You may even find yourself becoming frustrated, marring your enjoyment. After a long session of dynamic gaming, it may be advisable to wind down by watching a film, reading a book or even playing something calming, like Animal Crossing or an indie title like Melatonin, found to reduce stress and boost mood considerably. 

Attempt A Challenge

A great way to switch up your gameplay and try something new is to attempt a fan-made challenge. Challenges prevent stale, repetitive gameplay and help you get the most out of your titles with a little creative innovation. You could try a speedrun or a one-life challenge. You could even switch up your peripherals as a true test of your expertise. Streamers commonly attempt many of these fan-made challenges, so log on to Twitch or YouTube Live for inspiration. 

Upgrade Your System

If your system has trouble keeping up with the latest AAA titles, it can severely hinder your gaming experience. Keep your gaming desktop functioning at full capacity with state-of-the-art, future-proof components that promote exceptional performance and game immersion. For example, if your files don’t open immediately or if you receive an error message advising that your PC is using 80% or more of its memory, you may require more RAM. Similarly, if your GPU is bottlenecking, it may need to be replaced with an upgraded model. 

Take Some Time Out

Although it may seem alarming, it could be time you took a short break from gaming altogether. Forcing yourself to enjoy something when your heart isn’t in it can have the opposite effect. The fact that multiplayer games have become a form of social interaction between close friends is a double-edged sword – everybody needs a break occasionally. You should never feel as though you have to play games, although it’s easy to see why some individuals would experience FOMO (fear of missing out) from needing some time away. That said, your well-being comes first, so why not take a short hiatus to focus on other things and return to your favourite hobby refreshed and revitalised? 

Stay Hydrated

It may sound silly, but staying hydrated during long gaming sessions is vital. Hydration directly correlates with neurological function, and dehydration can cause cognitive issues such as confusion, anxiety and disorientation, inevitably affecting your game performance and overall enjoyment. Keep your reaction times snappy and your concentration sharp by drinking plenty of water and eating healthy snacks between sessions.