“A game like Boom Again is all about what we have in common, the things we all experienced,” says Brian Hersch, creator of the pop-culture trivia game Boom Again. Still need to be convinced? Here are 10 benefits of board games—both physical and mental—that will give you a good reason to grab your friends and family and start playing.
1. Board Games Can Help Improve Mood
What better way to elevate your spirits than by doing something you enjoy, like playing your favorite board game. If that game makes you laugh, then all the better. Laughter can help decrease stress, anxiety and depression and make you feel happier and more content—a helpful mood boost in this day and age.
2. Board Games Can Enhance Personal Connections
There’s nothing like getting together and bonding with friends over shared memories and shared laughs. A game like Boom Again helps build these personal connections on multiple levels. The game encourages teams to collaborate to come up with the answer to the throwback pop culture trivia questions from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. There are no time limits. Just time for fun at every turn.
3. Games Can Help You Stay Mentally Sharp
Playing board games has been found to stimulate areas of the brain that control memory and complex thought function. In fact, a study published in The Journals of Gerontology found that those who played board games did better on memory tests in their 70s. And there’s more good news. It’s never too late to start. Even those who began playing board games—or increased their playing time—later in life were found to still reap the cognitive benefits. In addition, a French study looked at the correlation between board games and reduced risk of dementia. The study determined that the risk of dementia was 15 percent lower in board game players versus non-players.
4. Board Games Can Make Life More Fun
A game by definition is “an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement”—for fun! Playing board games and releasing our “happy hormones” (or endorphins) can help us feel cheerful, more positive and more content.
5. Board Games Can Help Lower Blood Pressure
How can a board game help lower your blood pressure? By making you laugh. Take Boom Again, for example. The “Boomer Pop Culture” trivia game was developed with fun and laughter at the forefront. And, wow, does it deliver! Hilarity ensues as players try to answer trivia questions by singing the song lyrics from their teenage years or debating with teammates over a possible answer. Researchers at Osaka University studied the effects of laughter on blood pressure. When you laugh, the endorphin surge coaxes muscles to relax and blood circulates more easily, which can lead to lower blood pressure.
6. Board Games Can Help Reduce Stress
Don’t question the adage “laughter is the best medicine.” Not only can laughter help lower your blood pressure, it can also help reduce stress. Laughing with friends can ease your stress response and decrease your heart rate, leaving you feeling nice and relaxed. According to a survey by RealNetworks, Inc., 53 percent of people say they play board games for stress relief.
7. Board Games Can Help You Set Goals and Master Patience
Even in the most light-hearted board games, winning takes strategy and patience. Practicing in a stress-free, convivial environment can make all the difference in building these important life skills.
8. Board Games Can Promote Creativity and Self-Confidence
Playing board games can foster creativity by giving you a safe place to explore your resourcefulness. As the game progresses, you have the opportunity to pivot or change strategy to show off (in a good way) your personality and prowess. It is also great for more timid people to showcase their individuality and build confidence. Team play in particular promotes a sense of shared confidence.
9. Board Games Can Bring You Back Into the Real World
Technology has many positives, but we can all use an occasional break from our digital devices. We’ve all heard that too much time online can lead to depression and anxiety so put down your smartphone or tablet and give your neck, eyes and mind a break. Use this time to wander back into the real world, play a social game and have fun with our friends and family.
10. Board Games Can Help Improve Your Immune System
Negative thoughts and stress can hamper your ability to fight disease. But positivity and shared laughs with friends—like you might experience while playing a fun game—can release positive endorphins into the bloodstream. These feel-good hormones can help fight stress and boost immunity, making game play just what the doctor ordered. One of the newest games on the market is from the creator of Taboo, Outburst and Super Scattergories. Geared toward the 80 million Baby Boomers, but also a multi-generational, multi-player game, Boom Again taps into the nostalgia of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. With more than 2,200 questions about your favorite moments from advertising slogans, politics, music, movies, fashion, celebs and more, this is not your typical trivia game. The rules are designed for fun and teams can collaborate to come up with the right answers. Even the game’s tokens have a nostalgic feel. You’ll have flashbacks to your youth from the moment you pick up the metal skate key, the center insert adapter from a 45 rpm record, the “Students for Kennedy” campaign button or the working roach clip. A new way to relive the past, Boom Again answers the question, “What’s the perfect gift?” One that spans multiple generations, has a serious fun-factor, and is a no-brainer for those who need—and love—to reconnect with their friends. Find out more about Boom Again at boomagain.com. Take a trip down memory lane with our Memorable Moments : — The 12 Most Memorable TV Moments of the 1960s — 26 of the Biggest Hit Songs of 1970— See Every Charlie’s Angels Star Through the Years — The Top 10 Disco Dance Tracks of All Time — Every Charlie’s Angels Star Through the Years — The 100 Best Movies of All Time
