As you navigate through your day, stress can often creep in, leaving you feeling upset or even overwhelmed. In today’s world, video games have emerged as a popular outlet for relieving stress and escaping daily troubles. Studies show that casual or cozy video games can significantly lower stress levels and improve moods, especially among teens. Engaging in activities like completing quests, crafting items, befriending characters, or progressing through a story in these games can be incredibly fun. This enjoyment triggers the release of dopamine in your brain, helping to combat stress and shift your focus away from negative emotions. With this in mind, Health Fitness Revolution presents our Top 10 video game picks to help you unwind and de-stress!
Animal crossing: New Horizons: A game where the player starts on a deserted island after purchasing a getaway package from one of the main characters, Tom Nook, where the player can freely live on this island and customize and expand it to your heart’s desire! This is a relaxing game where you can fish, grow your own flowers, craft furnishings or structures to customize your island, and even have cute animal villagers as residents that you can befriend.
Tetris: A great distraction for easing anxiety, increasing your problem solving skills with this game that flows so easily. Moving different shaped tiles as they descend on the screen to form perfect lines, earn points and hone your focus to distract the anxious mind.
Stardew valley: Similar to animal crossing, but more 2D! In this one the player has inherited their grandfather’s old farm. Enjoy this relaxing experience as you befriend the townspeople, expand your farm and learn the ways of living in the countryside.
Unpacking: Enjoy this zen puzzle game where you reminisce about the familiar feeling of pulling your possessions out of boxes to fit them into a new home. Being able to freely place things wherever you would like throughout the space, whether it be a kitchen or a bedroom. Spanning from 21 years, dive into this engaging, relaxing game as you uncover the main character’s story through their unsorted cardboard boxes.
A little to the left: Another cozy puzzle game to add to the list where you can sort, stack, and organize regular household items into aesthetically pleasing arrangements. Clean up the mess and enjoy the satisfaction of putting things where they belong.
Minecraft: Like many of the other games listed, minecraft is a very versatile game that you can play however you want to, preferably in peaceful mode where you can build, explore, and adventure as much as you want without the consequence of evil monsters coming after you to take all your stuff.
Melatonin: This rather relaxing rhythm game merges dreams and reality together. Before each chapter the main character goes to sleep and has corresponding dreams that relate to real life, from combating stress in dreams to dreaming about the future. Stages are accompanied by catchy music where players have to stay in tune with the beat of the song.
Potion craft: This simulator game that allows you to kick your feet back and step into a medieval fantasy world. Operating a potion store and producing and selling potions of your own craft as you play as an alchemist in the game. You can go as far as making new recipes to attract customers and experiment as much as you want.
Cozy grove: As the name suggests, this cozy game allows you to step into a haunted, ever-changing island. Playing as a spirit-scout, your job is to soothe local ghosts and help spirits in need. Filled with many memorable characters to befriend and understand, and spirits stories that you will unravel as you play the game.
The Sims 4: In this game, you are their creator. Unleashing your creative freedom as we invite you to enjoy this relaxing, social-simulation game where you can create as many characters as you want and develop the lives they have, from letting your Sims bond and build connections, having a family, or letting them pursue their dream job.
