I got my first gaming console for Christmas when I was about six years old; it was a white Nintendo DSI and I was so stoked. I had so many games such as New Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Rhythm Heaven.

Since then, I’ve pretty much had every game system from a Nintendo 3DS XL, an XBOX 360, PSP, and a PS4.Once, I played my XBOX so much that it overheated and never turned on again.
Today, on my PS4, I play Grand Theft Auto 5, NBA 2k19, Red Dead Redemption 2, Minecraft and so much more. But I’ve decided to take a break for a week after I’ve learned what video games really do to our brains.

Video games don’t have a major role in my life, so I assumed I would be okay. Boy, was I wrong.
Every night before bed, I play 2k to tell my body to start winding down, so when that was taken away from me, my body didn’t know when to shut down. I would just stare up at the ceiling, counting to a thousand.

If I had enough time in the morning after I showered and got ready for school, I would’ve played GTA, but since I couldn’t, I decided to use the time I had leftover to make lunch for myself.

Not only did I have a much healthier lunch than my usual, I also felt much more focused and present in my classes. I didn’t feel myself falling asleep during class or losing concentration as quickly.

On day two, I decided to save one of my IXL assignments for before I went to bed. Doing all of those math problems in my comfy pajamas, underneath my blanket, with the fan on, really gave me the feeling I missed from playing video games.

The next few days, going to sleep went by fast, as my body became more used to being without video games and having much less screen time.

From this, I’ve learned other ways to help me wind down before bed and other ways for me to start my day, and I suggest you do the same.

Instead of hopping on your phone or watching TV to help you get ready for bed, try reading a book meditating or doing something more productive to help you fall asleep.