Three Reasons why Playing Cards is good for us

Playing cards is fun, we know this. But did you know it can also boost our emotional and mental health? It’s a double whammy. It keeps our minds active and provides a social outlet.

Not that you need an excuse to whip out our playing cards but here are just three reasons why playing cards is genuinely good for you:

1. Keeps you smart – Playing cards involves a great level of concentration and focus. Math skills are sharpened, and newly learned skills acquired as a player improves in a game. Even games with simple rules like Bridge or Poker can take a lifetime to master, so players are always evolving and learning. Card games involve constant levels of self-control and concentration which keep your mind sharp in a fun, relaxing and social way. It’s worth noting that card games can specifically help older people retain their mental sharpness. A 2014 study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that playing card and board games with frequency is associated with greater brain volume where you need it, in several regions that are affected by Alzheimer's disease.
2. Real Life Social Life – as human beings we are biologically engineered to thrive on face to face interaction. When our friends say, ‘it’s good to see you’, it stimulates waves of positive emotions in us. Social Media asks us all to be the best version of ourselves; happy smiles, attractive photographs, witty soundbites, when really humans are a lot more layered and complicated. We are not one thing. And a social life online is not a happy one. Real friendships with love and intimacy come about from loving all the difficult parts too. A regular social ritual, a game together in our often-chaotic lives provides the deep happiness and enjoyment that we so badly crave.
3. Promote Friendships – Play is an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults. It’s about forgetting work and commitments and being social in a fun and creative way. Sharing laughs with friends fosters empathy, compassion, trust and intimacy. All the cornerstones of a lasting, strong friendship. Playing cards together can help everyone loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers and even make new friends.

Try to clear your schedule for fun. Host a regular games night for family and friends. No phones allowed on the table, watch the good-natured rivalry blossom and the group bond. And remember, all that fun is good for you!