Gaming is a fast-paced activity that demands players to be fully focused and ready to react as quickly as possible. Reaction time is very important as it can be the difference between life and death. Reacting fast enough to your enemy position, flank or a cheeky peek can turn the tide of a game.
But, reaction time is only a part of the puzzle. Reaction time alone won’t get you so far if you don’t have the aim to back it up. It is a mechanic that you should strive to get your full potential out of, but remember it is worth nothing if you don’t have your other skills in check. Focus on improving yourself as a whole, and you will achieve great success. Now, let’s get back into it.
Spoiler alert: There are little to none external activities that can improve your reaction time. This is mostly played by your biology and genetics. But, we can try and reach our full potential to get the best reaction time our body can get. Let’s get started.
External Activities
Play The Game
A research conducted by University of Rechester, reported that playing video games leads to faster decision-making and gamers develop a heightened sensitivity to what is going around them. Therefore, decreasing their reaction time. Basically, playing video games will improve your reaction time. The key to getting better at anything is doing it a lot. Keep exposing yourself to different scenarios in-game, keep reapting the same tasks and eventually you will get a faster reaction time.
Aim Trainer \ Osu
Using an aim trainer or playing Osu! can help you react faster. Due to the nature of these tasks, clicking and reacting very fast is key for achieving great success. You repeat the same task over and over and eventually your brain becomes accustomed to it and your in-game reactions improve.
Be Focused
This is a no-brainer. When you are truly focused, fully immersed in your gameplay, you will react faster. You will see things quickly and be able to react quickly. It won’t only improve your reaction time. It will make you a better player as a whole. Make sure to check out: How To Improve Your Focus While Gaming.
Buy Better Equipment
Your equipment might be bottlenecking you and stopping you from achieving your full potential.
Buy A New Monitor
If you are using a 60hz monitor, then I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but you should upgrade it and ditch that old screen. 60hz monitors are a thing of the past. Hell, even 144hz nowadays feels like I am at a disadvantage. Playing on a TV? Oh boy, you are in for a ride. The difference between a TV response time and a gaming monitor response time is huge.
Basically, the higher the Hz and the lower the response time, the better your performance will be. The image will be sharper and will be more precise, therefore allowing your brain to process the image faster and creating a quicker feedback. If you are not sure about the amount of hz you need, feel free to check out my guide: 360Hz Vs 240Hz Vs 144Hz – What Should You Get? I recommend getting BenQ ZOWIE XL2456K 240Hz. The most popular gaming monitor by the pros.
Buy A Faster Mouse And Keyboard
Some mouses and keyboards have a higher input delay than others. Input delay is basically the time between your actions and when the PC reacts to those actions. You should aim for the lowest amount of input delay you can find. I recommend getting Logitech G Pro and HyperX Alloy Origins Core TKL. Both are amazing choices and are one of the best keyboards and mice you can find. No wonder most of the pro players use them.
A Healthy Lifestyle
This is the meat of the post. As I have already mentioned, your reaction time is mostly tied to your genetics. You should strive to maximize your potential. You do that by making sure your body functions at its best.
Diet
Okay, this is a self-improvement guide. But seriously, eat healthy. Hydrate. These are the basics of the basics. It will do wonders for you. And I am not talking only about gaming. I am talking about life in general. There are so many benefits for a healthy lifestyle. So make sure you avoid sugar as it drastically reduces your performance and makes you feel sluggish. Eat your greens. Very important and get your vitamins! Omega 3, vitamin D etc. Drink at least 3L of fluids a day.
Sleep Well
Get at least 8 hours of sleep. Of course, if you are functioning on 6 hours of sleep everyday, you are not going to perform at your best. This is important! If you are aim training, sleeping is crucial for your improvement. If you have a big game tommorow, sleep well.
Exercise
Yep, exercise. If you have time to read this, to aim train. Then you have time to exercise. It will make you more focused, calm and more confident in yourself. You will improve your reaction time, your aim and game sense and much more. It shoots good chemicals into your brain.
Meditate
There are so many studies about the importance of meditation and its benefits. It will make you more calm, focused and sharper, therefore reducing your reaction time. 100% worth it.
Basically, this whole section just covers the basics of a healthy lifestyle. Do not skip this. I know you want to get tips on how to improve in game and be the best aimer you can, but then you get tips like: sleep well and eat healthy. I know. But it is what it is. I want you to be the best player you can and these are the basics. These ensure that there is nothing that is bottlenecking your performance. You are at peak potential and you will see results very fast and therefore progress, the ladder ranks insanely fast.
The Number One Thing That Reduces Your Reaction Time
The biggest enemy for your reflex time is age. I am sorry, but if you are a bit on the older side, it is to be expected. Your brain ages and causes slower reflexes. It is a natural thing. You won’t be as consistent and you will be generally slower. Keep in mind that 30 is still young. Some people think 30 is already the end of your gaming career, but be real. You are barely 1/3 of your life. You should still be pretty shrap. But generally, you shouldn’t sweat about reaction time because:
It's Not That Important
Some people are naturally faster than others. You shouldn’t sweat it. Just make sure you are following the tips above and you should be set. Focus on improving yourself and even if you are a bit on the slower side, you will reach the top.
You can improve your reaction time by practicing more and using aim trainers, getting the right peripherals like a good mouse and a fast monitor, and the most important thing is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping well, eating healthy, and exercising are crucial to reaching your full potential.
