In the United States, technology seems to be more prevalent with each passing day. Many Americans, young and old utilize cellular devices, iPad’s, iPod’s, and different tablets for entertainment. Although screens provide many individuals with entertainment, they do not stimulate the brain. In fact, for parents, they worry about their children’s screen time. This technology obsession and screen time obsession has negative effects on the brains of many. It can cause behavior problems, attitude alterations, and disrupted sleep- just to name a few. However, there are devices for entertainment that help the brain. These devices are traditional past times, such as puzzles.
Puzzles were first created by Archimedes around 250BC. After that, puzzles evolved into many different types. There are 300 piece puzzles, 500 piece puzzles, 750 piece puzzles, 1000 piece puzzle frames, and 2000 piece puzzles. There’s a world of possibilities when it comes to puzzles! For the puzzle lover in all of us, here are the benefits of putting the pieces together.
The Benefits Of Jigsaw Puzzles
To begin, there are two sides of the brain, or two separate hemispheres. They are the right brain and the left brain. Each hemisphere deals with different functions. The right brain handles emotions and performs tasks holistically. The left brain functions in a more linear way. Many individuals cannot use both sides of their brain efficiently. It’s as if one side is stronger than the other, depending on the person. However, puzzles change this.
Puzzles Help Both Sides Of Your Brain: Since the left side of your brain functions in a more linear way, the left brain thinks logically and follows a sequence. Since the right side of your brain is more emotional, the right brain is creative and intuitive. When you put a puzzle together, you gain the power of both sides of your brain! Whether you’re working on 500 piece puzzles or 1000 piece puzzles, there is continuous activity throughout the brain. Additionally, this activity involves all cells and parts of the brain. As all parts of the brain are activated, the brain’s efficiency and capacity increases, too! If you want a strong, active brain, do a puzzle!
Helps Prevent Diseases: Studies show that working on puzzles can help individuals increase their life span. Puzzle doers also have a decreased chance of developing Alzheimer’s, memory loss, and dementia. Since the brain is constantly active, it continuously releases a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine assists with learning and memory. Therefore, doing puzzles can keep your brain healthy. Additionally, for the elderly, jigsaw puzzles (whether 500 piece puzzles or 700 piece puzzles) restore their cognitive skills.
Become A Better Person: Doing puzzles also help people stay alert, increases concentration, and expand creativity. With that said, it is safe to say that puzzles help people become better. They can stay awake longer, concentrate on their life tasks, and create beneficial content.
Practice Visualization: It has been proven that looking at the pieces of a puzzle constantly helps the puzzle doer’s visualization. This is good because it can help you improve physical activity as well as mental activity.
Physical Health: Putting a puzzle together can also help your physical health. Doing puzzles can reduce your heart rate, your blood pressure, and your breath rate. For a calm feeling and good health, do a puzzle!
Meditation: Doing puzzles, such as 500 piece puzzles, can be considered a form of meditation! Puzzles can induce peace of mind, calmness, and a worry-free attitude. When you’re working on a puzzle, you simply concentrate on the images in front of you. You do not pay attention to any distractions around you. Because of this, you can arrive at a peaceful stage and state of mind.
