Gamers Make Decisions Faster

A study by cognitive scientists out of the University of Rochester recently pitted action gamers against puzzle gamers and found out, surprise, that the action gamers are significantly faster at making decisions. The interesting part about the study, though, is that they don’t lost any accuracy whatsoever when they’re making those snap decisions. 

The study went down like this: dozens of 18 to 25 year olds were split into two groups. One group was made to play action-oriented games like “Call of Dugy” and “Unreal Tournmanet” for 50 hours, the other was made to play strategy and puzzle games like “The Sims 2” for that same amount of time. After, each group was tested by asking them to perform specific tasks (such as identifying a group of randomly moving dots and the direction they’re heading) and timing their responses. 

The run and gun gamers scored just as well as the puzzle guys, but the thing is they did it 25% faster. It’s probabilistic inference. It’s a process by which your brain is constantly making small observations – visual and auditory – and generating a sense of awareness based on those. For people that have to be constantly on the lookout for a sni—

You get the idea. So keep on gaming, guy. 

Do These 5 Exercises Before a Date

Fifteen minutes before a date is the wrong time to start working out to get in shape. You already should have a smart exercise regimen in place. Fifteen minutes before a date, however, is the right time to do one last tune-up on your body so that your date views you in all of your physical glory. Los Angeles physical trainer Mike Donavanik (CSCS, CPT) shares exercises before a date that every guy can do.

1. Pump Up

Knock out some pushups. The increased blood flow will make your chest look bigger and more pumped. Try to do two sets of 20 to 30 repetitions. Don’t overdo it. You don’t want to be sore or fatigued for any other physical activity that might occur later in the evening.

2. Firm Up

Do some basic bicep and tricep exercises. If you have a resistance band or dumbbells, do some bicep curls. For triceps, all you need is a chair or couch to perform tricep dips. Doing a couple sets of curls and dips will firm up your arms so that when your lady grabs hold of them, they won’t feel like mush.

3. Don’t Crunch It Up

Unless you have a true six-pack, crunches before a date are a no-no. Resistance-training exercises bring blood to the working muscles, making them look bigger. If you don’t have a true six-pack, working your abs right before a big date will make you look bloated and tubby in the middle.

4. Stand Up

Posture is important. Before heading out the door, do a posture check. With proper posture, you will look more confident. Bad posture will make you look insecure. To give off a great first impression, check your posture. Stand tall with your chest up and shoulders slightly retracted.

5. Calm Down

If you’re nervous and you give off that impression, none of the tips mentioned above will matter. Take about five minutes to focus on deep breathing to relax your body and mind. When you inhale, make your stomach rise; when you exhale, let it sink. This will ensure deeper and more relaxed breathing, leading to a calmer and less-anxious mind.

Six Bad Habits That Actually Make You Healthy

Everything fun is bad for you. Or is it? Recent research shows some bad habits might not be as bad as you think. Now, by no means are we suggesting you go out and take up new bad habits, nor are we endorsing any you might currently have. What we are suggesting, however, is that there's more to them than simply bad health. While many consequences of poor health choices aren't outweighed by the benefits—don't know about you, but we'd rather have trouble focusing than, say, lung cancer—at least you have a defense the next time someone nags. Here's your evidence.
1. Drinking

 "What, you were expecting a creepy doll collection?" Who doesn't love a good stiff drink? People who die young, apparently. Despite the well-documented health detriments of booze, drinkers live longer. During a 20-year study released last year, 69 percent of teetotalers died, compared to 60 percent of heavy drinkers and 41 percent of moderate drinkers. This is true even excluding former drinkers who have already destroyed their organs. Even barflies outlive the clean and sober. Researchers suggest two reasons. Moderate drinkers who have a beer after work to unwind have less stress. But that doesn't explain the heavy drinkers, because consuming larger amounts of alcohol makes your body feel more stressed, regardless of how your brain feels. Socializing with other drinkers is the other part of the equation. People rarely drink alone, and loneliness is increasingly tied to a shorter lifespan. Prescription? Two drinks a day, with friends. The study's authors say any more brings health problems that outweigh the benefits. Of course, drinking often leads to…

2. Fighting

 We were gonna run a photo from Mayweather-Pacquiao, but… Human beings and other primates are notoriously violent creatures. Every culture includes some form of human blood sport, from the pankration of the ancient Greeks to the mixed martial arts of today. But studies show martial arts training actually makes for less violent people. This cuts across all age groups, including the notoriously impetuous young and the overly hormonal adolescents among us. In 2008, American elementary schools tried a Gentle Warrior program to combat bullying. Not only were the third, fourth and fifth grade boys who participated less likely to bully other children, they were more likely to intervene when seeing another child bullied. (Interestingly, martial arts had no effect on the behavior of girls.) Researchers believe it's more than the discipline of studying martial arts; the positive experience of removal from criminal environments is also in play. Kids (and presumably adults) learn valuable interpersonal skills, find themselves more connected to their peers and aren't hanging around after school looking for trashcans to light on fire. Put succinctly, fighting in a structured environment makes everyone less of an asshole. Who knew?

3. Smoking Grass

 "Duuude…anyone seen our careers?" Yes, dudes, your weed habit has health benefits other than giving you your appetite back after chemo. Though, if you do have cancer, the nightly doobie will do more than just make you hungry. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, it will slow the growth of your tumor. Research further shows that smoking ganja relieves symptoms of diseases and disorders such as Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and migraine headaches. It also prevents seizures and helps people with OCD and Tourette's relax. Perhaps most interestingly, a 2009 University of Southern California study found that smoking dope is good for—wait for it—ADD and ADHD. A daily dose works better than Ritalin, without the side effects. Also, anecdotal evidence suggests that giving your girlfriend weed will make her more tolerable during PMS. Even the man seems to agree. To date, 16 states and DC have have enacted laws legalizing medical marijuana.

4. Smoking Cigarettes

 This guy could make Rollerblades look cool. Almost. You might decide that lung cancer, emphysema and bad breath are worth the clearer mental focus you get from a nicotine high. Cigarette fiends often invoke improved concentration as a justification for their habit. But are these folks just blowing smoke? Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College in London say, not at all. They found that smoking significantly improved memory and brain function by making more effective use of glutamine and dopamine. Nicotine reduces the amount of monoamine oxidase (an enzyme that breaks down dopamine) by 30 to 40 percent. Senior citizens who used nicotine patch made decisions faster, cutting the time from 200 milliseconds to under 100. In other words, if you have trouble concentrating and don't care if you live past 40, take up smoking. All the cool kids are doing it.

5. Sex

 "So much for thinking about baseball…" Everyone knows that sex burns calories (35 per half hour for anyone counting) and relieves stress. What you might not know is that intimate moments with your special lady friend boost your immune system. Sex releases increased amounts of the antibody immunoglobulin A, which prevents colds and other infections. Men who have more sex also have fewer strokes and heart attacks likely related to the exercise gained from sex. A Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health study found that sex twice or more per week cuts the risk of heart attack in half. Coitus also reduces pain by releasing oxytocin— remember that next time she has a headache. Since Movember is coming, we should also tell you that regular orgasms are a key component of prostate health.

Note that the key to prostate health is orgasm, not actual sex. So don't let a, um, lack of partner prevent you from getting those benefits.

6. Gambling

 Sometimes, you just have to push all your chimps to the middle of the table, ya know? This one is apparently only true of old people, but hey, you'll get there one day. Senior citizens who gamble are apparently experience better health than those who don't. Gambling old people report lower rates of depression and alcoholism. While some scientists suspect that the socializing involved is the key, others disagree: how much contact with other humans goes on at a slot machine? Still there are other, more social games to play at a casino, including blackjack, poker and craps. As with booze, it's important to practice moderation, especially when you're on Social Security. Men reading this have nothing to fear, however. Social Security will be long gone by the time you're old enough to collect.