A recent study among professional esport players showed a median total sleep time of 6:48 h per night over a period of 7–14 days (Lee et al., 2021), and another study reported median total sleep time 7:26 h per night (Lee et al., 2020).
A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least six hours. This duration allows for multiple cycles of REM/NREM sleep before waking. While some people can get by just fine on less, aiming for six hours of sleep or more is enough to ensure the brain can detox, thereby not allowing any negative effect on gaming performance.
Studies have confirmed that people who spend a lot of time gaming tend to get less sleep and experience lower sleep quality. Learn more about the factors that may explain the effect of video games on sleep and find healthy sleep tips for reducing the impact of late-night gaming.
Gaming addiction is a compulsive mental health disorder that can cause severe damage to one's life. It's common for a video game addict to spend over 10 hours a day gaming, usually well into the night, and many suffer from sleep deprivation 2.
If you play video games for five hours a day but can put the controller down without issue whenever you feel like it, you're probably fine. If you are passing up on having a social life, sacrificing sleep, or not eating right due to your gaming habits, that might be when you have crossed the line into addiction.
Twice as many parents also say their teen boy plays video games every day compared to parents of teen girls. Teen boys are also more likely to spend three or more hours gaming. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours per day of screen-based entertainment.
It's good to set video game time limits by age. For kids over the age of 6, the American Academy of Pediatrics says no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days. Kids under 6 should spend closer to 30 minutes.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours of screen time per day. If your son is playing these games and in addition watches television, he may have an increased risk of obesity, poorer health and behavior problems.
For video game play to be classified as addictive, one must engage in them for at least 15 to 20 hours each week or more. This amounts to an average of three hours each day. This sort of play can cause lasting damage to the health and well-being of people, including their relationships and productivity.
Benefits of video games for both children and adults include: Healthy brain stimulation. Development of problem-solving skills. Stress relief.
The researchers found that while gamers and non-gamers showed no difference in erectile and orgasmic function, gamers were less likely to report premature ejaculation than non-gamers. A lessened desire for intercourse among gamers, the researchers hypothesized, could be responsible for this finding.
The mental stimulation of video games and the blue light of screens can interfere with sleep patterns and melatonin (the sleep hormone) production, so gamers don't feel sleepy at bedtime. However, the later they play, the later they wake which can impact on school or work.
Take Breaks
Stepping away from the screens is another step you can take to help prevent gaming fatigue. Compete.playstation.com says, “Sleep isn't the only type of break you need. Going outside is good for you and your aspirations.” In their article, esportshealthcare.com also addresses taking breaks.
The number of healthy gaming hours for adults differs depending on the individual, and factors that affect it include a person's lifestyle and the amount of free time they have in a day. However, as a general rule, adults should avoid gaming for more than five hours at a stretch.
Interestingly, there is a clear difference between team and individual sports when it comes to how much sleep professional athletes require. Research shows that individual sport athletes sleep on average 6.5 hours a night while team sports come in at 7 hours.
Studies show that excessive gaming can lead to poor emotional regulation. Poor emotional regulation contributes to mood problems such as anxiety, depression, and aggression.
Similar to tobacco, alcohol or drugs, screen time or video games can become an addiction if it damages your health and relationships, and you are unable to control it.
Signs and symptoms of video game addiction (internet gaming disorder) include: Poor performance at school, work or household responsibilities as a result of excessive video game playing. Withdrawal symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety or irritability, when games are taken away or gaming isn't possible.
But consider the trade-offs of these activities, including gaming: you're neglecting your friends, family, your mental and physical health, as well as your career. If that's the case for you, then gaming is a waste of time – just like any other activity with the same trade-offs would be to this extent.
Gaming activates dopamine – the brain's reward system
Whenever the brain is expecting a reward from a certain activity, it starts producing dopamine which makes us feel good. This motivates us to repeat the behavior to experience the same rush of pleasure.
Most doctors, however, recommend limiting screen time and video game play for children. Kids should spend no more than 2 hours per day playing video games.
On average, it takes 360 hours to get a bachelor degree (120 semester credits x 3 hours studying per credit). 5000 hours is halfway toward world-class expertise in any skill, if you believe in the 10,000 hour rule.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours per day of screen-based entertainment.
Is 300 hours of a video game a lot? From the perspective of a “casual" gamer that play with other “casual" gamers, 300 is not really too much. It is a good amount for a game if you play many different games. It is also a good amount of time if it is a single player game.