The Stress Institute and Pogo.com Identify Playing Casual Games as
a Great Way to Reduce Stress
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that its casual
gaming destination Pogo.com(TM) along with Dr. Kathleen Hall and The
Stress Institute have paired up to raise awareness among college
students about the positive impact that game-playing has on stress
management. With finals approaching, it becomes more apparent the
amount of stress that students face. Stress can hinder test
performance with issues such as anxiety, insomnia, irritability,
memory loss and depression. According to The Stress Institute,
students who take a break from studying and clear the mind with
activities such as playing casual games are less likely to experience
stress during tests. Playing games such as those found at Pogo.com
provide needed mental breaks, reduce stress and restore the mind and
body connection.
The Stress Institute notes additional tips to help you de-stress
and succeed during finals:
-- Laugh and Play - Laughter has been scientifically proven to
reduce stress hormones and release endorphins. Laughter and
play boost the immune function and can aid in disease
prevention. Go online and play a game or watch a funny video
to take a mental break and play.
-- Breathe - Most people take shallow breaths while stressed.
This can starve the body and brain of oxygen. Be sure to take
deep breaths before starting a test.
-- Exercise - Exercise produces endorphins which helps lower
stress. Walk around the block before the test or do chair yoga
during the exam.
-- Find a Community - Many people feel isolated and experience
test taking as harsh competition. View fellow test takers as a
team. Go online and find a community that you connect with,
even if not directly related to the test to avoid feeling
isolated.
-- Eat Well - Eat foods with B-6 such as sweet potatoes, rice,
and tuna which help produce serotonin. Another way to aid with
depression and stress is eating foods rich in Omega 3. Try
eating white fish three times a week and you may want to take
Omega 3 supplements to help your mood.
Dr. Kathleen Hall stated, "Research shows blood pressure was found
to be significantly elevated two weeks before college examinations,
compared with post examination levels. These findings suggest college
related factors such as test taking can influence the cardiovascular
stress response in students. Taking short breaks from the stress of
college examinations to practice stress reduction techniques can reset
your thermostat and help you perform better and stay healthy during
exam season."
Vice President of Pogo Marketing, Beatrice Spaine commented, "Pogo
is an online game destination where college or high school students
can come to take a mental break from studying with games such as the
Poppit! Stress Buster or Tumble Bees. They are easy to pick up and
play and can be a fun break from the serious tone and pressure of
studying."
Founded by Dr. Hall, The Stress Institute serves as a center for
the collection and dissemination of information on the impact of
stress on our lives. Comprised of professionals and prominent
physicians in a variety of disciplines, the organization is interested
in exploring the various effects of stress on mental and physical well
being. The Stress Institute suggests resources and tools that are
helpful in the reduction of life stress and solutions for work-life
balance.
For more information and to experience some of the best online
games on the Internet, visit www.pogo.com. For screenshots and assets,
please visit info.ea.com.
(1) According to ComScore September 07
About Pogo.com
Pogo.com is the #1 stickiest online casual game destination in the
US(1). The site is home to 16 million unique visitors a month
(worldwide) who play for more than 51 minutes a day(1). Boasting a
wide variety of more than 80 free online games including puzzle, word,
casino, classic card and board, Pogo.com features both single-player
and multiplayer games. The site offers players an easy-to-use chat
feature where millions of people talk about their favorite games, best
scores, or simply share stories about their lives. Pogo.com is known
for its thriving online community of players who forge life-long
friendships through the site. Pogo has local sites and communities in
UK (pogo.co.uk), Germany (pogo.de) and France (pogo.fr).
The premium service for Pogo.com, Club Pogo, offers players a
variety of VIP features including exclusive games, no ad
interruptions, private chat and avatars. Club Pogo has over 1.5
million paying subscribers.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City,
California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software
company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and
distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems,
personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic
Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM),
EA(TM), EA SPORTS BIG(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2007, EA posted
revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one
million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More
information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be
found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO, and Club Pogo are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or
other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their
respective owners.
Electronic Arts
Honey Hamilton, 650-628-9045
hhamilton@ea.com
or
EA Casual Entertainment
Trudy Muller, 650-628-2926
tmuller@ea.com
Copyright Business Wire 2007
