In the fast-paced, demanding, and stressful world we live in there is a growing base of evidence that informs us that stress can be detrimental to our health. Stress has the ability to cause ailments across every system in the body, from the musculoskeletal system to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body), and thus can create a plethora of symptoms.

The impact stress has on the human body can create symptoms that can be detrimental to our daily lives, ranging from sleepless nights and muscle aches to high blood pressure and cognitive changes (https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body). Once we are aware of the manifestations of stress, it is acutely obvious that at a time when switching off and relaxing seems increasingly impossible, it is also more important than ever.

Thankfully, it is possible to reduce stress by using something we all carry with us every day, our mobile phone.

Here are some of the ways mobile phones can reduce stress:

- Increased dopamine (from messages and 'like' notifications)

- Flow state: good for people who find meditation difficult

- Social connection

- Gaming (Success in games increases self-confidence)

- Increase in ability to problem-solve - transferable from mobile gaming platforms to the real world, which can reduce how stressful we find situations we encounter in everyday life.

- Help to develop coping strategies

The factors of stress and concerns regarding climate change can now intersect in the field of charitable gaming. Mobile gaming has been shown to reduce stress and have a positive effect on the mental health of mobile game users, across both Android and IOS gaming platforms. There is also a rising tide of independent mobile gaming developers that are seeking to create actionable change by creating mobile games as a tool to help global issues.

Virtue Gaming is an independent mobile game developer that seeks to create mobile gaming experiences that sit at the intersection of both personal and societal benefit. With the evidence available regarding the positive benefits of mobile gaming on both cognitive and mental health, Virtue Gaming is at the forefront of creating mobile games that combine this benefit to the individual with overall benefits for the planet. Virtue Gaming seeks to combine these benefits by combining a mobile gaming experience that focuses on solving global issues, along with the pledge to donate a percentage of profits generated from the game to charitable causes.

When it comes to mobile gaming with Virtue Gaming, it really is possible to do something that will benefit your brain, body, and the planet.

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