Have you ever tilted so hard during a marathon session of ranked matches that you give yourself a headache?
Most gamers have experienced some form of this frustration. And now, 100 Thieves CEO and former Call of Duty pro Nadeshot is teaming up with Excedrin to help fight off gamer headaches forever.
New research from Excedrin suggests that 71 percent of gamers are concerned about headaches related to prolonged gaming, yet “the majority of them play through the pain.” And 92 percent of gamers report spending more time gaming during the pandemic, so they’re being “met with an increased exposure to headache triggers than ever before.”
“I’ve experienced headaches while gaming for many years, but it’s not something that’s widely discussed within the gaming world,” Nadeshot said. “Instead, many of us brush it off or ‘tough it out’ to keep playing. The truth is, headaches can take you out of the game and have an impact on performance—and no one wants that. I like to win, and I hate losing more than I like winning. I’m excited to help spread the word with Excedrin so we can all stay focused, compete and—more importantly—crush it.”
With Nadeshot, Excedrin has developed a simple “mindfulness routine” to help gamers combat headaches to keep them in the game and out of pain for extended periods of time.
“Now more than ever, gamers face a unique dilemma; they find immense joy in the sport they love, but it can also be a minefield for headache triggers,” said Dr. Elizabeth Seng, a clinical psychologist and Excedrin’s head pain expert. “Even seemingly ‘small things’ like increased screen time, eye strain and muscular tension can lead to headaches. The mindfulness routine developed by Excedrin can help gamers navigate triggers so they can manage the risk of headaches.”
You can find Excedrin’s six-step approach for keeping your head in the game below:
- LEVEL UP YOUR MOTIVATION: Before you start playing, stay positive. Angry gamers are a headache.
- CLEAR EYES, MAX HP, CAN’T LOSE: Pause the game every now and then to look at an object 20 feet away from you. Focus on this object for 20 seconds. Then return to your game play.
- TURN ON SOME 8-BIT CHIPTUNES: After a long gaming stretch, throw on some relaxing or ambient music outside of your gaming headset to recharge.
- GET SKETCHY: Pause the game and relax your mind by sketching or doodling – whether it’s one of your favorite avatars, a turtle or a pirate.
- CONTROLLER HAND MASSAGE ACTION: Put down the game controller and give your hands a break with a hand massage.
- PAUSE FOR DEEP BREATHING: Close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Repeat this seven to 10 times.
