Free Online Stress Relief Games- Part 1

By Anna Hazard

Stress can be the bane of both caregivers and patients alike and left unchecked, excessive levels can cause multiple health problems ranging from depression to insomnia to high blood pressure.
 
One of the easiest ways to counteract stress and prevent burnout is by indulging in some quick, attention-diverting amusements (such as these free & easy to use online games) every so often and especially when pressures and worries begin to feel overwhelming. Studies have even indicated that playing such games reduces the level of the stress-related hormone cortisol.
 
There are two types of games specifically meant to address stress -- 1) relaxing & otherwise calming games that are meant to put you into a meditative mood and 2) tension relieving games that tend to be more energetic, often featuring cartoonish or otherwise goofy violence that will allow one to safely vent and blow off steam.

This blog post will focus on the first set of games -- those meant to calm and relax. Check out the next article HERE for the second set of stress busting games.

Relaxing/Meditative Games

Orisinal Games

• A huge assortment of cute and mellow (if still time-based) games including ones where you guide a puppy across a peaceful landscape, collect marshmallows with mice, or have giraffes kiss each other.
• http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
  

Virtual Zen Garden

• Rake the sand & landscape in a virtual garden based on those used by Zen Buddhists for meditation.
• Stress is relieved by methodically arranging stones and raking patterns in the sand which relaxes & quiets the mind by focusing on repetitive physical movements.
• http://www.japangarden.co.uk/Zen-Garden-p-16.html
  
• https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/39009/

Zen Photon Garden

• Relaxing interactive raytracer. Create your own photoreactive patterns by dragging your mouse or touchpad.
• http://zenphoton.com

Silk

• Interactive generative art. Create your own colorful fractal patterns by clicking and dragging your mouse across the screen.
  
• http://weavesilk.com/
  

Neon Flames

• Another interactive art creation site, create galaxy-like patterns with a few flicks of your mouse.
• https://29a.ch/sandbox/2011/neonflames/
  

Kaleidoscope Creator

• Slowly build up your own kaleidoscope patterns one component at a time.
• http://www.zefrank.com/byokal/kal2.html
  

Meditation Flowers

• Influence the growth and development of these psychedelic flowers by singing to them. (Requires the use of a microphone attached to your PC)
• http://www.zefrank.com/meditation_flowers/
  

Nature Sounds for Me

• Compose/mix your own set of calming ambient nature sounds to suit your own personal tastes.
• http://naturesoundsfor.me/
  

Samorast

• Slowly explore a surreal asteroid-based universe by wandering around and poking through anything interesting that crosses your path.
• http://amanita-design.net/samorost-1/
  

Echogenesis

• A calming & immersive experience of exploring different natural worlds. Roam freely and enjoy both visual and audio interactions.
• http://www.echogenesis.com/
• Mirror: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/314432

Flow

• Float around as a tiny geometric creature and watch your evolution as you explore and consume other tiny organisms.
• http://interactive.usc.edu/projects/cloud/flowing/
  

Candy Box

• Collect, hoard, and go on epic quests for candies in this cute ASCII RPG game.
• http://candies.aniwey.net/
  
• http://candybox2.net/
  

Virtual Bubblewrap

• Pop those bubbles! Almost as therapeutic as the real thing.
• http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml
  

Bejeweled

• Simple but addictive puzzle game of swapping jewels into patterns of 3 or more. An old and well known classic for relaxing the body while exercising the mind.
• http://bejeweled.popcap.com/html5/0.9.12.9490/html5/Bejeweled.html
  

Poppit Stress Buster

• A cross between Virtual Bubblewrap & Bejeweled... what's not to like? Pop those balloons in patterns of 3 or more
• http://www.best-flash-games.net/puzzle-games/poppit-stress-buster.html
  

Stress Reducing Mah Jong

• Distract oneself from stress by focusing your mind & concentration on a puzzle-type game such as Mah Jong. This particular version from WebMD gives health & stress related tidbits as prizes for each step in unlocking the puzzle.
• http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/mah-jongg-game

Tetris

• One of the oldest games still in circulation, studies have indicated that playing this can help with PTSD and other types of intrusive or stressful thoughts.
• http://www.freetetris.org
  
• http://www.tetrisfriends.com/