Should you stop playing when you're on a losing streak?

I fell from 1401 to 1360 within an hour.

Just keep playing.

My blitz rating likes to flail around 1700-1900.

Sometimes I struggle with 1600s, sometimes I play equal with CMs and NMs (but in blitz of course, hah )

All I can say is an Online Chess rating isn't too important, but when you're at the top of your form is when you should go to real tourneys.

Once when my online blitz rating was nearing 1950 I went to a FIDE rating and beat several 2200s (My rating was 1700 at the time mind you) when I go in my average form I lose points more often than not

Says the person who dropped from 1943 to 1244. I'll report you just to be sure too.

no

To everyone else, thanks for your suggestions. I just tried playing again and I feel like I'm doing better but that might be due to the weaker opponents.

Also, tournaments sounds fun but I'm probably going to be crushed by everyone else.

Try again, or simply take a break for a moment before proceeding again later. A drop in rating of about 40 in an hour is perfectly normal. I had days where I lost more than 50 rating points in a day after I accumulated much more losses than wins (and to be fair, I had days where I went up more than 50 rating points as well). Perhaps the loss of 40 rating is due to facing opponents who are stronger than what their rating suggests, or perhaps you are not on form. You can give tournaments a go, perhaps within the 1200-1499 rating circle.

I was on a losing streak (about 25 games: 13 on this site and 12 on another) just a day or two ago, can't believe it.  I missed the easiest checkmates and tactics.  Hey, what do you know?  After so many loses, chess.com sent me some even easier opponents to help my self confidence !  : )

In the end, everything balances out.  Definitely for online chess, where things are really just for fun.

Take a short break, analyse why are u losing and play with a fresh mind. May be try a new opening this time. That's what I used to do.

Depends on perspective, perhaps. If rating is too much important to you, then you should stop. On the other hand, some non-chess professional people may like to fight through it, learn how to go through a bad day and apply it to real life.

Generally you should stop and resume playing the next day, but sometimes I noticed that if you take a small break, go to toilet, drink a coffee, things may get better. But this does not apply to cases of severe lack of sleep (little sleep in last two-three days), there things will only go worse until you catch up with the SLEEP.

Yes you should stop at least for an hour or two,, then restart playing ,, if you again lose then take a day break ,,

watch a Tal game ? the Magician has so many tricks to show , then with these new ideas return and play ?

not for everyone that way but it works for me when im feeling demoralised by a losing streak

Don't forget that chess is a game. Unless you're a professional player who makes a living playing chess (a category that barely even exists), or there is some big tournament you don't want to miss out on, there is absolutely no reason to play if you don't want to. There's also no reason not to play if you do want to, so long as you don't have any obligations to take care of first. So just do what you want to do.

If you're worrying about your rating, don't. It's just a number, and you can't really manipulate it in any meaningful way anyway. If you want it to go up, keep studying and keep practicing and that will take care of itself.

I fell from 1850 to 1650 in a day. I feel your pain.