5 Surprising Ways Jigsaw Puzzles are Good for Your Brain
Are you trying to find a serious brain activity? Then, look no further than your game cupboard. Your next brain workout can be found in a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.
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Yes, with this digital era, puzzles are growing in popularity. However, puzzles have been in existence since ancient times. The oldest known puzzle being a dissection of a square that’s mentioned by Archimedes in 250 BC.
There are different ways in which puzzles are good for your brain. Some of these include the following.
1. It Exercises Your Brain
Your brain has two hemispheres, each controlling different functions. For instance, the right side controls creativity while the left controls analytical and logical thinking. Both types of thinking are needed when solving a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.
Exercising the two sides of the brain at the same time creates a connection between the left and the right hemisphere. It also develops cell connections between individual brain sides. These connections are important as they improve your ability to learn, comprehend, and remember.
2. Improves Your Memory
Most people are growing forgetful by the day. If you’re one of them, don’t worry. A big jigsaw puzzle is all you need by your side.
Working on a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle reinforces the connection between the brain cells. It also helps to form new brain cells. All this acts to boost your short-term memory. But how does this 500 piece puzzle help you to remember?
Well, you need to use your memory to complete the jigsaw puzzles. Otherwise, how will you know the sizes, shapes, and pieces and then visualize whether they fit in the 1000 pc puzzle? According to various
3. It Boosts Your Problem Solving Skills
In life, you’ll face a myriad of problems and challenges. How you approach them determines your quality of life. But don’t worry.
The difficult puzzles and no so difficult ones will encourage you to think critically. If one approach fails, don’t give up. Try a different one. You use trial and error, formulate and test theories. With time and resilience, you’ll solve your puzzle. The same applies when you’re solving problems in real life. Never give up. Instead, learn to face them head-on.
4. Enhances Self-Evaluation
The concept of there being easy puzzles is deceptive. Yes, it may appear straightforward to find the specific pieces and fix them together. However, you’ll need a surprising level of mental activity to complete a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.
That’s the only way you’ll know how the pieces fit. If they do not fit, you’ll need to reassess whether they need to go. This teaches you the skill of evaluating and re-assessing different real-life situations. Remember, each piece of the 500 piece jigsaw puzzle can only go to one place. Since there’ll be no compromise, you’ll need to be patient as you re-evaluate your decisions.
Lowers Your Stress Levels
Tough puzzles invigorate your brains. However, they’re also very calm and relaxing. As you concentrate on solving the puzzle, your mind shifts focus to one task encouraging you to go to a meditative state. With this, you get a better mindset which helps you cope easily with stress. The puzzles also stimulate the production of dopamine, commonly known as the happy hormone that helps you fight stress.
The jigsaw puzzles are hardly new in the market. They have been around for decades. These puzzles are an ideal solution to pass time. However, studies show that these toys have lasting benefits for your health and well-being. Using these toys will lead to a higher quality of life and a longer life expectancy. It will also reduce your chances of developing certain types of diseases including dementia, memory loss, and Alzheimer.
