Puzzles can cultivate patience and willpower, and it can reduce stress and relieve emotions. They offer hours of fun and entertainment everyone can enjoy. Finishing puzzles with family or friends gives you the opportunity to build a closer relationship with others and create a happy atmosphere, which makes the family atmosphere more harmonious and interesting. They quiet the mind and induce a state of creative meditation. Jigsaw puzzles tap into our creativity and rewire our brains to make “connections”. They are the most perfect parent-child game. And they are a great choice for Birthday and holiday gifts. Here are the facts about the power of the puzzle
Gets you off the screens
Given the intense way we have been working we all know that we are spending far too much time in front of our screens – and with the kids at home more they often are as well. So, the less time staring at screens and forcing a digital detox con only be a good thing! Screen time affects many areas of our health from weight, sleeping patterns, eye and brain health, and even cognitive development. Jigsaw puzzles aren’t just a nice alternative to Social Media – they actually help you to wind down!
Promotes mindfulness & stress relief
So, we are starting to wind down with a puzzle because they demand a level of thought, focus, and patience that challenges the mind. While you are concentrating on sorting through pieces or staring at the image on the box, they offer both meditative and satisfying experience. While we are connecting puzzle pieces our brains release dopamine, which positively affects our mood, memory, and motivation. Why not try the iconic and ironic Scream from www.zazzle.co.uk.
Improves short-term memory
As you peruse the jigsaw puzzle pieces to find the exact colour shade you need, and that fit the shape of the hole you’re looking to fill, you have to retain the details in your short-term memory. This reinforces the connections between brain cells and help to create new ones, which makes your thought processing faster. Who knew that a puzzle could boost your short-term memory helping remember the important things in everyday life, like finding where you left the car keys or if you needed butter?
This one is great as first you make the puzzle then you have more brainteasers to try and figure out – Brain Trainer Puzzle from https://www.wickeduncle.co.uk
Builds those all-important motor skills
Jigsaw puzzles can improve motor skills like dexterity. When you pick through small pieces, flip them over, and fit them into small places, it exercises all those small muscles in the fingers and eyes. This is a really great development opportunity for kids at the earliest stages of learning. Start them off with smaller or easier puzzles and they can eventually work your way up to more complex ones – you on the other hand might want to dive right in with a 1000 pieces!?
Animals Of World Floor Jigsaw from www.johnlewis.com is a good place to start – a step up from the bay puzzles.
Puzzles also work your visual-spatial skills and these visual-spatial skills can be a big help with things like driving, packing, and navigating.
Can reduce the risks of Dementia & Alzheimer’s
As we still have an aging population it is important o keep our minds active and puzzles can help reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Engaging your brain with activities like puzzles can reduce the risk of developing these conditions. This problem-solving activity can support the growth of new nerve cells and reduce the amount of brain cell damage that occurs in Alzheimer’s patients. So, the humble jigsaw puzzle has real preventative power!
So, why not grab a new puzzle with your friends and get puzzling right away? It’s officially good for you!
Throughout this articles we have linked you to some we’ve found on Amazon, Wicked Uncle and John Lewis but you can get so many on the second-hand selling sites or swap them with friends!
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