The Health Benefits of Playing Bridge and Other Card Games
Those who are into the tricky and addicting card game of bridge are more than happy to share why they love it, but what are the actual benefits of playing this game aside from the fun factor? Or for that matter, what does any card game in general do to benefit its players? Surprisingly, there are a number of health benefits tied to playing many card games.
Card games offer one of the best exercises for your mind
Just as we improve our physical skill and muscle tone by exercising daily, playing card games does the same thing for your brain. The biggest benefit of playing these games is it keeps the mind sharp. This is due to the fact that there are several factors that come into play with card games. For example, if you’re looking for some Online Casino fun, not only do you have to consider the moves you’re making but you also have to decide how much you’ll be betting (if at all). Contrary to popular belief, recreational gambling helps keep the mind as sharp as can be.
Don’t worry, Be happy
Playing cards can be good for your social life and overall health. When you play card games with others, it helps you make friends and enjoy good company, which can make you feel less lonely and more part of a group. Social interactions can decrease feelings of depression and anxiety. A study published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology” found that social ties and increased frequency of social interaction are associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety. Join a bridge club, play at a bridge tournament or go on a bridge cruise! You’ll have lots of opportunity to be happy!
It helps your hand-eye coordination
Just like card games like bridge help to keep your brain sharp and ready for anything, simply the act of handling cards can have a positive effect. For example, if you’re used to shuffling and serving cards, you’ve already improved your hand-eye coordination a great deal. It takes a good amount of finesse to effectively shuffle and deal cards, which once again does wonders for your overall mental health. Even if you aren’t used to those particular techniques, simply handling cards and working with memorisation goes toward the same thing.
It staves off mental illnesses
Keeping the brain active is an excellent method to keep certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s from becoming a possibility as you grow older. Due to the addictive nature of card games, more often than not people will be playing them throughout their lives, which lowers the chance of mental illnesses down the line. No matter the card game that you play provided that there’s at least some level of comprehension involved, you’re slowly but surely protecting your brain by keeping it sharp and aware.
While the addictive nature of card games can sometimes be detrimental to people who are vulnerable to gambling, it can’t be underestimated how much card games like bridge benefit our mental health. The best part is that these games value fun over everything else. After all, it’s always important to have fun, and what better way to do it than in a way that keeps your mind sharp and active as well?