Wednesday, August 26, 2020

James Patterson Book List by Year

James Patterson Book List by Year Author James Patterson discharges a few books each year, exciting his fans with page-turners that are anything but difficult to peruse and engaging. A considerable lot of his books are co-composed with lesser-known writers, permitting him to compose beyond what one man could all alone. Thinking about whether you have missed one of his discharges? Complete List Of James Patterson Books By Year 1976 - The Thomas Berryman Number1977 - Season of the Machete1977 - The Jericho Commandment (distributed again in 1997 as See How They Run)1980 - Virgin1986 - Black Market (distributed again in 2000 as Black Friday)1988 - The Midnight Club1992 - Along Came A Spider (Alex Cross Series)1994 - Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross Series)1996 - Jack Jill (Alex Cross Series)1996 - Hide Seek1996 - Miracle on the seventeenth Green (with Peter De Jonge)1997 - See How They Run (distributed already as The Jericho Commandment)1997 - Cat and Mouse (Alex Cross Series)1998 - When the Wind Blows1999 - Pop Goes the Weasel (Alex Cross Series)2000 - Black Friday (recently distributed in 1986 as Black Market)2000 - Cradle All (recently distributed in 1980 as Virgin)2000 - Roses are Red (Alex Cross Series)2001 - Violets are Blue (Alex Cross Series)2001 - Suzannes Diary for Nicholas2001 - first to Die (Womens Murder Club)2002 - Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross Series)2002 - Beach House(with Peter De Jonge) 2002 - second Chance (Womens Murder Club, with Andrew Gross)2003 - The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross Series)2003 - The Jester(with Andrew Gross)2003 - The Lake House (continuation of When The Wind Blows)2004 - third Degree (Womens Murder Club, with Andrew Gross)2004 - London Bridges (Alex Cross Series)2004 - Sams Letters to Jennifer2004 - Santa Kid2005 - fourth of July (Womens Murder Club, with Maxine Paetro)2005 - Mary, Mary (Alex Cross Series)2005 - Honeymoon(with Howard Roughan)2005 - Lifeguard(with Andrew Gross)2005 - Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment2006 - Cross(Alex Cross Series)2006 - (with Peter De Jonge)2006 - Judge and Jury(with Andrew Gross)2006 - fifth Horseman (Womens Murder Club, with Maxine Paetro)2007 - Step on a Crack2007 - sixth Target (Womens Murder Club Series)2007 - Double Cross (Alex Cross Series)2008 - seventh Heaven (Womens Murder Club Series)2008 - Maximum Ride #4: The Final Warning2008 - Sundays at Tiffanys2008 - Sail2008 - The Dangerous Days of Daniel X 2008 - Against Medical Advice2008 - Cross Country (Alex Cross Series)2009 - The eighth Confession (Womens Murder Club Series)2009 - Daniel X: Watch the Skies2009 - The Murder of King Tut2009 - Witch Wizard2009 - Alex Cross Trial (Alex Cross Series)2009 - I, Alex Cross (Alex Cross Series)2010 - Worst Case2010 - Fang2010 - The ninth Judgment (Womens Murder Club Series)2010 - Dont Blink2010 - Private2010 - Postcard Killers2010 - Cross Fire (Alex Cross Series)2010 - Witch Wizard: The Gift2011 - Tick Tock2011 - Angel2011 - Toys2011 -  Kill Alex Cross (Alex Cross Series)2012 -  10th Anniversary (Womens Murder Club Series)2012 - Private Games2012 - Private: #1 Suspect2012 - Guilty Wives2012 - eleventh Hour (Womens Murder Club Series)2012 - Middle School: Get Me Out of Here2012 - I, Michael Bennett2012 - Nevermore: The Final Maximum Ride Adventure2012 - Zoo2012 - Confessions of a Murder Suspect2012 - NYPD Red2012 - Daniel X: Armageddon 2012 - Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (Alex Cross Series)2012 - I, Funny2013 - Private Berlin2013 - Witch Wizard: The Kiss2013 - Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross Series)2013 - Middle School: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar2013 - twelfth of Never (Womens Murder Club Series)2013 - Second Honeymoon2013 - Private Down Under2013 - Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill2013 - Mistress2013 - Treasure Hunters2013 - Gone2013 - Confessions: The Private School Murders2013 - Cross My Heart (Alex Cross Series)2013 - I Even Funnier2014 - First Love 2014 - Private L.A.2014 - NYPD Red 22014 - Middle School: Ultimate Showdown2014 - Unlucky 13 (Womens Murder Club Series)2014 - Invisible2014 - Middle School: Save Rafe2014 - Homeroom Diaries2014 - Private Down Under2014 - Danger Down The Nile2014 - Burn2014 - Confessions: The Paris Mysteries2014 - Private India2014 - Hope to Die (Alex Cross Series)2014 - House of Robots2014 - The Lost 2015 - Private Vegas2015 - I Totally Funniest2015 - NYPD Red 32015 - Public School Superhero2015 - The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook2015 - fourteenth Deadly Sin (Womens Murder Club Series)2015 - Maximum Ride Forever2015 - Truth or Die2015 - Just My Rotten Luck2015 - Lights Out2015 - Alert2015 - Private Syndey2015 - Secret of the Forbidden City2015 - The Murder House2015 - Confessions: The Murder of an Angel2015 - Cross Justice (Alex Cross Series)2015 - Robots Go Wild!2015 - I Funny TV2016 - NYPD Red 42016 - Private Paris2016 - Jacky Ha-Ha2016 - fifteenth Affair (Womens Murder Club Series)2016 - Ultimate Fight2016 - Private Rio2016 - Filthy Rich2016 - Humans, Bow Down2016 - Peril at the Top of the World2016 - Bullseye2016 - Woman of God2016 - From Hero to Zero2016 - Cross the Line (Alex Cross Series)2017 - Middle School: Escape to Australia2017 - The Shut-In2017 - The End: An Owen Taylor Story2017 - Bedding the Highlander 2017 - The Black Book2017 - I Funny: School of Laughs2017 - Night Sniper2017 - After the End: An Owen Taylor Story2017 - Two from the Heart2017 - How to Be a Supervillain2017 - sixteenth Seduction (Womens Murder Club Series)2017 - Crazy House2017 - Juror #32017 - The Dolls2017 - Dr. Death2017 - Big Words for Little Geniuses

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Designing and Managing the Supply Chain, Chapter 1 Questions free essay sample

These subassemblies are amassed during conclusive get together and afterward dispersed to business for the purchaser advertise. b. What are the various firms associated with the flexibly chain? Coming up next are a choice of firms engaged with the gracefully chain: Suppliers, Manufactures, Transportation organizations, Warehouses and appropriations focuses, sub-contractual workers, vendors, and clients. c. What are the targets of these organizations? The basic target of these organizations is to boost piece of the pie and make a benefit. Each challenge to work the gracefully chain bolsters these two essential objectives. d. Give instances of clashing targets in this gracefully chain? The providing ventures might want the vehicle assembling to subscribe to buying enormous amounts with stable volumes with adaptable (long-lead) dates. On the manufacture’s side, they should be adaptable to their customers’ need and the adjustment in requests. So what we have is an immediate irreconcilable situation between the suppliers’ and manufactures’ want for adaptability. We will compose a custom paper test on Planning and Managing the Supply Chain, Chapter 1 Questions or on the other hand any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The capacity to ideally coordinate flexibly and request is the same amount of a workmanship and it is a science. Different clashes emerge with transportation of littler clumps versus bigger clusters of provisions. Normally the littler and quicker a bunch of flexibly is required, the expense of transportation increment; another clashing goal. e. What are the dangers that uncommon or startling occasions posture to this flexibly chain? A surprising danger, for example, a catastrophic event can bring the flexibly chain to a stop. Nonetheless, such occasions can never be overseen. There are a few difficulties, for example, coordinating gracefully and request dangers, lead times, figures, transportation times and costs, which can be â€Å"managed† or operational hazard the board used to limit dangers. 2. Consider a customer contract offered by a bank. f. What are the parts of the flexibly chain for a home loan? There are a few segments of the gracefully chain for a shopper contract offered by a bank. In the first place, there are advertising organizations that request to planned clients. Furthermore, the bank should have the option to assess potential clients by utilizing credit-detailing organizations. Thirdly, typically an outsider bank that broadens the home loan credits. Finally, the bank requires contract facilitates that disseminate the credits. g. Is there more than one firm associated with the flexibly chain? What are the goals of the firm or firms? Promoting organizations attempt to expand the reactions from planned homebuyers to boost their profits. The banks attempt to discover clients that are a generally okay, on-time installments, and low normal development date; I. e. , boost benefits. The home loan merchant is tied in with boosting his bonus of the sell of the property. . What are the similitudes among item and administration flexibly chains, what are the distinctions? Both item and administration gracefully chains give a need. The thing that matters is the kind of administration, rather than the physical product†¦ quicker, better, less expensive all apply. A portion of the contrasts between the two sorts of gracefully chains are as per the following: * With the item flexibly chain there is both the progression of physical and educational items. Be that as it may, in the administration flexibly chain, the item is for the most part data. Dissimilar to the administration gracefully chain, stock and transportation of merchandise are a significant expenses of item flexibly chains. * Since administration flexibly chains for the most part don’t convey stock, organizing limit with request is typically progressively significant. * The expense of data is more regularly higher than in an item gracefully chain. Consider the expense of a credit report or recruiting a specialist. 6. Consider the gracefully chain for canned peaches sold by a significant food-preparing organization. What are the wellsprings of vulnerability in this flexibly chain? A portion of the wellsprings of vulnerability are as per the following: The main factor to consider is the peach crop and the variables that impact it†¦ climate, infection, and fiascos. * Number if vagrant laborers accessible to collect the crop†¦ deterioration. * Lead times from field to preparing plant†¦ decay. * Processing time, stockpiling, and transportation times and expenses. * Demand isn't know heretofore. CASE: Meditech Surgical 1. What are Meditech’s issues in presenting new items? In assembling ALL items? Meditech has two significant issues with presenting new items. * It has poor assistance levels for new items The stock levels are higher than would normally be appropriate for the entirety of its items 2. What is plunging these issues, both methodicallly and authoritatively? There are seven significant zones in which Meditech is driving these issues: * In the arranging framework, there are excesses of implicit postponements and month to month basins. This prompts inefficacies, unneeded postponements, and high stock levels. * There is no following of guaging mistakes. * Product request is ineffectively examined. * The Info Systems used to record and screen amp; stock are not coordinated and deficiently structured. Since Meditech doesn't regularly observe the end-client, it needs to defeat disappointments of correspondences with them†¦ crowding/alarm orders is one case of this inability to speak with end-clients. * The lack of common sense framework is use amplifies varieties sought after. * Panic requesting. 3. For what reason is the client support director the primary individual to perceive the significant issues? He was the individual who straightforwardly got client protests. In his position he had the option to decide the extent of the issues. Different administrators were not in positions to know about consumer loyalty. 4. How might you fix these issues? There are a few different ways to fix the issues Meditech is confronting. The first and most significant is improving interchanges with customers†¦ Five â€Å"Y†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s. Another approach to improve their SCM is to grow better interest estimating frameworks and responsibility for their conjectures. Moreover, Meditech needs to incorporate, execute, and improve their data frameworks. They could without much of a stretch take out mass stock by putting get together inside the draw framework; I. e. , dispose of the â€Å"push-pull† framework. Finally, they could execute an arranging framework to diminish arranging delays (or simply use M. S. Undertaking) and decrease framework time basins.

Friday, August 21, 2020

Video Games as Stress Relievers

Video Games as Stress Relievers Technology Print The Link Between Video Games and Stress Relief By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 08, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 17, 2019 Emilija Manevska / Getty Images   More in Self-Improvement Technology Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Relationships View All Much has been written about video games, and quite a lot of it is negative. We have feared that video games are making our children less social and more violent, and making us all more stressed. Theres been significant research on the topic, and some good news has come out of it: Video games can actually be good for our stress levels!   Research on the Connection Between Gaming and Stress Most gamers report that playing video gamesâ€"even violent gamesâ€"is a way to relieve stress and enjoy playing with friends. However, much of the research conducted on video games comes with the presumption that games are stressful or even psychologically harmful.  While this isn’t the whole story, there is some evidence to support this assumption. Some studies show that a stressful in-game situation leads players to experience a stress reaction in real life.  Other studies have found that when people play violent games, they are more likely to act aggressively in laboratory-based scenarios. For instance, players who played violent games for 20 minutes were more likely to blast a loud noise at another subject when given the chance, which was considered an indication of aggression.?? Another study found that teens who played violent games experienced minimal increases in feelings of aggression, though the increases were barely detectable; teen girls experienced a slight increase in stress.?? What Research Shows About How Video Games  Help Relieve Stress Much of the research that has found a link between video game violence and aggression does not actually show a clear link between exposure to in-game violence and real-world aggression.  (For example, most people who are video game players are not walking around blasting strangers with loud noises after playing their games; this is something mainly found in lab settings where subjects are asked to do so.) Similarly, while there may be some stress responses triggered by games, overall self-assessments provided by gamers failed to show a link between problems with social life, academic behavior, work behavior, or physical reactions (stress), showing that, if there is a negative effect, gamers themselves are not aware of it and its effects on their lives. One study examined players as they played either competitive or cooperative games.  As predicted, there was a difference in stress levels after playing, and those who played cooperatively experienced a greater decrease in stress levels, but the difference was slightâ€"both groups experienced decreases in stress by playing the game.?? In addition, both groups retained positive feelings toward the other players, though there was slightly higher regard for those who were cooperative. This is another way in which video games can provide positive social experiences and a decrease in stress. Another study used a survey of 1614 game players to examine the use of computer games as a tool for stress recovery. Results showed that games are indeed used as a coping tool after exposure to stressful situations and strain and that this “recovery experience” is a significant facet of the gaming experience.?? Researchers also examined the relationships among work-related fatigue, daily hassles, social support, coping style, recovery experience, and the use of video and computer games for recovery purposes and found that people who more strongly associated gameplay with stress recovery used video and computer games more often after exhausting and stressful situations. In addition, participants’ level of work-related fatigue and exposure to daily hassles were both positively associated with the use of games for recovery. Participants with emotion-focused coping style showed a higher tendency to use games for recovery than participants with problem-focused coping style.?? The relationship between work-related fatigue and game use for recovery purposes was moderated by social support. The stress buffering function of video and computer games was more important for participants receiving less social support. These participants showed a stronger relationship between work-related fatigue and the use of games for recovery than participants receiving more social support. How We Can Use Video Games for Better Stress Relief Video games can provide us with a safe and fun outlet for developing our emotional awareness and coping skills. One study from the Behavioral Science Institute in The Netherlands studied proficient gamers who were playing Starcraft 2 to determine if their in-game coping mechanisms were related to their overall stress levels.  What they found was that several players who became upset during gameplay found useful coping strategies to handle their negative emotions.?? The most useful strategies were those that either sought a resolution to the negative feelings (either by problem-solving or by using personal coping strategies) or ones that sound out social support from other players.  ?? One key difference between those who coped well and those who were less effective copers was the ability to monitor their own feelings and internal statesâ€"what is known as interoceptive awarenessâ€"and then take steps to maintain a healthy balance, either by making beneficial decisions to change their situation for the better, or by seeking support. In fact, most games reward players for being able to manage their emotions and work toward solutions in the face of stress.?? In understanding what worked best for these gamers, we can use this information in our own lives: developing our own interoceptive awareness and using it to maintain emotional balance is a vital part of healthy coping.  Even more importantly, by playing games, we can provide practice scenarios for developing these skills in a way that is non-threatening and fun, which is one of the advantages of playing games. Another study also showed that action-based video games not only reduce stress but can sharpen cognitive abilities such as reaction speed. This can help gamers think more quickly on their feet and likely be more proficient in problem-solving, which can reduce stress in other ways as well.?? Overall, there is significant evidence that video games are not only fun, but they can be great stress relievers as well for many reasons. Recommended Video Games for Stress Relief Here are some recommended video games to help relieve stress. Casual Games These games can be picked up and played for a few minutes, and then put down again. They can include simple challenges, short matches of gameplay, or the ability to stop and save at any time. Casual games are enjoyable because they can offer a quick break, a challenging-but-not-stressful experience, and a change in focus. Some casual games include Animal Crossing, Tomodachi Life, or Pokemon X for the 3DS, or this list of casual games for the computer. Cooperative Games These games involve challenges that can be completed with other players.  There are several benefits to this. One of the  main benefits is that players can create a network of friends through the game, which can be comforting and may also be empowering.  We enjoyed playing games with friends when we were young, and this need doesn’t necessarily go away in adulthood. Another benefit of cooperative gameplay is that players can help one another, offering symbolic support and enabling one another to develop problem-solving skills. These positive experiences and “wins” can feel empowering and build resilience to stress. As subjects have reported, cooperative gaming can relieve stress and create positive feelings among players.?? These games can be played on handheld gaming systems, over the computer, or even via social media sites like Facebook. Games With an Explicit Stress-Management Component Some games were actually created to help players learn to manage stress more efficiently.  While these games aren’t necessarily as “mainstream” as some of the others, they can be especially helpful for stress relief. Some games train players in meditation while others can even train in biofeedback, helping players build skills in these powerful stress management techniques that can be used in virtually any stressful situation. Games that teach stress management skills are rare, but there are a few. An older game that teaches biofeedback is known as  Relaxing  Rhythms  by Wild Devine, which uses finger sensors to provide in-game feedback. There is also a brain-sensing headband known as  Muse, which provides feedback for meditation: you listen to nature sounds as you meditate, but once your mind begins to wander,  the atmospheric nature  sounds become more intense until you bring your thoughts back to the present moment. This is a  device  that seems to fall somewhere between game and tool, but can be enjoyable and more interesting to many new practitioners of meditation. One very promising game is called Champions of the Shengha, and it allows players to wear a sensor in real life and become more powerful in the game by remaining calm as they play it, facilitating mindfulness practice. (Watch a video here about how  Champions of the Shengha works.)   Champions of the Shengha is a remarkable game in that it encourages the practice of emotional mastery and allows players to become more powerful in the game as well as in real life as a result. Its ideal for teens and others who may have a difficult time learning stress management techniques like mindfulness, but love playing games. It is still in development  but should be available in the near future. Games That Build Skills These games can build brain power or specific abilities. The benefit is that  not only can they help to take your mind off of what is stressing you, they can help you to build executive function abilities that can help you to solve problems and stay organized in your regular life--abilities that can relieve stress! Skill-building games can be puzzle games (like crossword puzzles that you can play online or on a handheld game device) or they can be games that require quick thinking. This includes games like Brain Age, Brain Age 2,  Brain Age Concentration Training or Big Brain Academy, which can be played on the Nintendo 3DS;  WeBoggle, a Boggle game that can be played for free online; language-teaching games like My Spanish Coach, or any of a number of games that make you think quickly. Games You Really Enjoy Really, any game that you truly enjoy can be a stress reliever.  Virtually any game that you find to be truly fun can be beneficial by providing an escape from daily stress, a break from patterns of rumination, or a way to build positive feelings. Play, tune into your feelings during and after you play, and see what you enjoy the most! Video Games to Avoid Basically, if you enjoy a game, it is probably a good stress reliever for you.  Games with a strong social component, particularly a cooperative one, may be especially beneficial as stress-relief tools. (They can also be time-consuming or even addictive, so be careful about that.) Finding a game that doesn’t require a huge time investment and allows for casual involvement (rather than carrying a stiff penalty if you need to quit a game after a certain amount of time or play only for limited amounts of time) may be less stressful as well, for obvious reasons.   Ultimately, pay attention to how you feel during and after you play. Make adjustments based on your observations.

Video Games as Stress Relievers

Video Games as Stress Relievers Technology Print The Link Between Video Games and Stress Relief By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 08, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 17, 2019 Emilija Manevska / Getty Images   More in Self-Improvement Technology Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Relationships View All Much has been written about video games, and quite a lot of it is negative. We have feared that video games are making our children less social and more violent, and making us all more stressed. Theres been significant research on the topic, and some good news has come out of it: Video games can actually be good for our stress levels!   Research on the Connection Between Gaming and Stress Most gamers report that playing video gamesâ€"even violent gamesâ€"is a way to relieve stress and enjoy playing with friends. However, much of the research conducted on video games comes with the presumption that games are stressful or even psychologically harmful.  While this isn’t the whole story, there is some evidence to support this assumption. Some studies show that a stressful in-game situation leads players to experience a stress reaction in real life.  Other studies have found that when people play violent games, they are more likely to act aggressively in laboratory-based scenarios. For instance, players who played violent games for 20 minutes were more likely to blast a loud noise at another subject when given the chance, which was considered an indication of aggression.?? Another study found that teens who played violent games experienced minimal increases in feelings of aggression, though the increases were barely detectable; teen girls experienced a slight increase in stress.?? What Research Shows About How Video Games  Help Relieve Stress Much of the research that has found a link between video game violence and aggression does not actually show a clear link between exposure to in-game violence and real-world aggression.  (For example, most people who are video game players are not walking around blasting strangers with loud noises after playing their games; this is something mainly found in lab settings where subjects are asked to do so.) Similarly, while there may be some stress responses triggered by games, overall self-assessments provided by gamers failed to show a link between problems with social life, academic behavior, work behavior, or physical reactions (stress), showing that, if there is a negative effect, gamers themselves are not aware of it and its effects on their lives. One study examined players as they played either competitive or cooperative games.  As predicted, there was a difference in stress levels after playing, and those who played cooperatively experienced a greater decrease in stress levels, but the difference was slightâ€"both groups experienced decreases in stress by playing the game.?? In addition, both groups retained positive feelings toward the other players, though there was slightly higher regard for those who were cooperative. This is another way in which video games can provide positive social experiences and a decrease in stress. Another study used a survey of 1614 game players to examine the use of computer games as a tool for stress recovery. Results showed that games are indeed used as a coping tool after exposure to stressful situations and strain and that this “recovery experience” is a significant facet of the gaming experience.?? Researchers also examined the relationships among work-related fatigue, daily hassles, social support, coping style, recovery experience, and the use of video and computer games for recovery purposes and found that people who more strongly associated gameplay with stress recovery used video and computer games more often after exhausting and stressful situations. In addition, participants’ level of work-related fatigue and exposure to daily hassles were both positively associated with the use of games for recovery. Participants with emotion-focused coping style showed a higher tendency to use games for recovery than participants with problem-focused coping style.?? The relationship between work-related fatigue and game use for recovery purposes was moderated by social support. The stress buffering function of video and computer games was more important for participants receiving less social support. These participants showed a stronger relationship between work-related fatigue and the use of games for recovery than participants receiving more social support. How We Can Use Video Games for Better Stress Relief Video games can provide us with a safe and fun outlet for developing our emotional awareness and coping skills. One study from the Behavioral Science Institute in The Netherlands studied proficient gamers who were playing Starcraft 2 to determine if their in-game coping mechanisms were related to their overall stress levels.  What they found was that several players who became upset during gameplay found useful coping strategies to handle their negative emotions.?? The most useful strategies were those that either sought a resolution to the negative feelings (either by problem-solving or by using personal coping strategies) or ones that sound out social support from other players.  ?? One key difference between those who coped well and those who were less effective copers was the ability to monitor their own feelings and internal statesâ€"what is known as interoceptive awarenessâ€"and then take steps to maintain a healthy balance, either by making beneficial decisions to change their situation for the better, or by seeking support. In fact, most games reward players for being able to manage their emotions and work toward solutions in the face of stress.?? In understanding what worked best for these gamers, we can use this information in our own lives: developing our own interoceptive awareness and using it to maintain emotional balance is a vital part of healthy coping.  Even more importantly, by playing games, we can provide practice scenarios for developing these skills in a way that is non-threatening and fun, which is one of the advantages of playing games. Another study also showed that action-based video games not only reduce stress but can sharpen cognitive abilities such as reaction speed. This can help gamers think more quickly on their feet and likely be more proficient in problem-solving, which can reduce stress in other ways as well.?? Overall, there is significant evidence that video games are not only fun, but they can be great stress relievers as well for many reasons. Recommended Video Games for Stress Relief Here are some recommended video games to help relieve stress. Casual Games These games can be picked up and played for a few minutes, and then put down again. They can include simple challenges, short matches of gameplay, or the ability to stop and save at any time. Casual games are enjoyable because they can offer a quick break, a challenging-but-not-stressful experience, and a change in focus. Some casual games include Animal Crossing, Tomodachi Life, or Pokemon X for the 3DS, or this list of casual games for the computer. Cooperative Games These games involve challenges that can be completed with other players.  There are several benefits to this. One of the  main benefits is that players can create a network of friends through the game, which can be comforting and may also be empowering.  We enjoyed playing games with friends when we were young, and this need doesn’t necessarily go away in adulthood. Another benefit of cooperative gameplay is that players can help one another, offering symbolic support and enabling one another to develop problem-solving skills. These positive experiences and “wins” can feel empowering and build resilience to stress. As subjects have reported, cooperative gaming can relieve stress and create positive feelings among players.?? These games can be played on handheld gaming systems, over the computer, or even via social media sites like Facebook. Games With an Explicit Stress-Management Component Some games were actually created to help players learn to manage stress more efficiently.  While these games aren’t necessarily as “mainstream” as some of the others, they can be especially helpful for stress relief. Some games train players in meditation while others can even train in biofeedback, helping players build skills in these powerful stress management techniques that can be used in virtually any stressful situation. Games that teach stress management skills are rare, but there are a few. An older game that teaches biofeedback is known as  Relaxing  Rhythms  by Wild Devine, which uses finger sensors to provide in-game feedback. There is also a brain-sensing headband known as  Muse, which provides feedback for meditation: you listen to nature sounds as you meditate, but once your mind begins to wander,  the atmospheric nature  sounds become more intense until you bring your thoughts back to the present moment. This is a  device  that seems to fall somewhere between game and tool, but can be enjoyable and more interesting to many new practitioners of meditation. One very promising game is called Champions of the Shengha, and it allows players to wear a sensor in real life and become more powerful in the game by remaining calm as they play it, facilitating mindfulness practice. (Watch a video here about how  Champions of the Shengha works.)   Champions of the Shengha is a remarkable game in that it encourages the practice of emotional mastery and allows players to become more powerful in the game as well as in real life as a result. Its ideal for teens and others who may have a difficult time learning stress management techniques like mindfulness, but love playing games. It is still in development  but should be available in the near future. Games That Build Skills These games can build brain power or specific abilities. The benefit is that  not only can they help to take your mind off of what is stressing you, they can help you to build executive function abilities that can help you to solve problems and stay organized in your regular life--abilities that can relieve stress! Skill-building games can be puzzle games (like crossword puzzles that you can play online or on a handheld game device) or they can be games that require quick thinking. This includes games like Brain Age, Brain Age 2,  Brain Age Concentration Training or Big Brain Academy, which can be played on the Nintendo 3DS;  WeBoggle, a Boggle game that can be played for free online; language-teaching games like My Spanish Coach, or any of a number of games that make you think quickly. Games You Really Enjoy Really, any game that you truly enjoy can be a stress reliever.  Virtually any game that you find to be truly fun can be beneficial by providing an escape from daily stress, a break from patterns of rumination, or a way to build positive feelings. Play, tune into your feelings during and after you play, and see what you enjoy the most! Video Games to Avoid Basically, if you enjoy a game, it is probably a good stress reliever for you.  Games with a strong social component, particularly a cooperative one, may be especially beneficial as stress-relief tools. (They can also be time-consuming or even addictive, so be careful about that.) Finding a game that doesn’t require a huge time investment and allows for casual involvement (rather than carrying a stiff penalty if you need to quit a game after a certain amount of time or play only for limited amounts of time) may be less stressful as well, for obvious reasons.   Ultimately, pay attention to how you feel during and after you play. Make adjustments based on your observations.