Escape Brain Rot By Playing Online Games

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Being an adult (even a kid) nowadays is not easy. With the emergence of advanced technology, not having a personal device—such as a smartphone or laptop—has become a nuisance. Most of our daily tasks are now tied to the usage of technology.
Answering a school quiz? Please submit your answers online.Meeting with clients from across countries? Zoom meeting. Buying baby diapers? Online marketplace.No transportation? Book a grab.Paying for parking? Must use an NFC card. Studying for exams? Watching online lectures. Scaling teeth at government clinics? Cashless payment only. 
To live in this era is to at least have a smartphone in your hand. 
Maybe a few people can live without depending too much on their smartphones or any other gadgets, but it's definitely rare. Even people who live in rural areas could easily get access to the internet, so why shouldn't they have one

Not to mention, in this social media era, everyone is on at least one of the social media platforms. They watch tons of content daily, scrolling endlessly, which secretly hacks their dopamine system, which misleads them into feeling 'fulfilled'. 

What is Brain Rot?This is an actual quick mental distraction if you let it get controlled over you, as scrolling your phone endlessly can create a loop of "just checking in for a minute" that eventually turns into hours. If you keep doing something repetitive and mentally not stimulating for a long time, you will experience brain rot. 
Brain rot is a mental fatigue where your brain feels drained from too many low-quality mental activities that don't challenge your brain. Most apps—especially on smartphones—are intentionally built with multiple features that increase their user engagement so people will stay longer on the phone to use their apps. 
While these features may be beneficial for companies and app developers since they drive more data and profits to them, it doesn't bring much value to you as the user. You may feel compelled to automatically pick up your phone during your downtime because it feels effortless—but attractive—to escape real life. 
Effects of Brain RotWhat happens if you keep these 'brain rot' activities going for a long time

1. You will feel stuckWhatever you are doing, you will never feel enough. As you keep doing things that offer yourself a short-term dopamine, that 'happiness' never lasts long. So, you keep doing the same thing over and over again, thinking it will bring you more happiness. 
It will then lead to constant irritability and dissatisfaction, which are caused by low motivation to do anything in life. That's why you'll feel stuck. 
2. Lower attention spanThis is a very dangerous consequence, especially to younger kids. Endless doomscrolling of short content may shorten your attention span, which makes it hard to focus on reading long texts or completing even one task that requires a longer time. 
Your brain will keep craving instant entertainment all the time over anything else. 
3. Reduced cognitive functionYour brain also needs a workout, just like your physical body needs. Working out your brain can improve its cognitive function through activities like reading, writing, solving puzzles, and thinking. 
But if your brain is not challenged regularly, it may become weak over time. Overstimulating your brain with quick content that lacks critical thinking often leads to feeling sluggish and slower thinking. Solving future problems and expressing deep thoughts will become even harder, and you will feel detached from most things that normally interest you. 
It's either you use it, or you lose it. 
But, Online Games May HelpYou may think that I'm insane for suggesting that you play online games to quit brain rot. When I first thought about it, I felt it too. But you don't actually need to leave the internet to become more productive. You just have to switch the kind of screen you're currently using. 
Swapping the never-ending feed scrolling for interactive online games is a smart move to re-engage your brain and stop the brain rot. Challenging your brain through educational online games can improve your focus while increasing your cognitive function. 
Recently, I came across a site that provides a ton of games that you can just play them online, without having to download anything to your device. The most fun part is, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY ADS :)
So, you can play any games there without any ad breaks that will interrupt your fun. 
Although the site has specifically mentioned that their games are actually made for kids, I think it's great for adults too. Their games are mostly teaching about money, business, real estate, maths, cryptos, economy, and many more. I've personally tried a few games from hundreds that are available, so I'm gonna share the one game that I like the most. 
Penguin Puzzle 
Interestingly, this online game is so addictive that I can clear all 50 levels in just one sitting! I couldn't stop myself midway because the game had challenged me to solve all the puzzles in just one sitting. Each level is unlocked in sequence, so you need to clear each level before you can move forward to the next level. 

The rules of this game are really simple, but a bit tricky:
You need to collect coins (the yellow ones) as much as you can before entering the exit (grey square).Some levels may require you to obtain the key (pink) to unlock the exit portal. At the end of each level, they will show you how many coins you have collected, the time taken for you to complete the level, and how many moves you made on each level. This is actually interesting, as you will feel more motivated to do your best at each level. 


I'm not joking when I tell you that I finished all levels in just one sitting, which I mentioned earlier. It's a pretty fun and interactive game, even for adults like me. I know that this is still considered screen time, but at least it's beneficial for my brain. 
There are a lot of other games on this site, so I suggest you go check them out and try which one you like the most. Next time, if your kids still prefer screen time over physical toys at home, why not suggest to them these multiple online games and make it a contest on who is the fastest to clear all the levels within a specific time

Is It Insane?Escaping brain rot by playing online games? Definitely not. 
The key is in what kind of online games you are playing. If you would rather substitute the usage of your devices with something more attractive, while not rotting your brain, find games that encourage creativity and offer mentally engaging challenges, such as: 
Problem-solving gamesLogic gamesLanguage or word gamesPuzzle gamesStrategy and management gamesFocus and reaction games 
These kinds of games are typically good for improving memory and brain function, increasing focus, and boosting cognitive flexibility. It teaches you how to decide strategies within a limited time, while offering clear goals at the end of the game. 

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