We have all come across puzzles at some point in our lives. As adults, we look at them as a means to unwind from everyday life or to concentrate. Apart from being a way of fun, puzzles have many health benefits. The earlier children start solving puzzles, the greater the chance of preventing serious diseases associated with memory loss and depression with age. In addition to traditional puzzles, wooden three-dimensional puzzles are also entering the market more and more seriously. The advantage they have over the others is that they last longer and it is harder to lose their pieces because they are much more voluminous.

Here are some of the health benefits for children and adults that provide different types of puzzles:

  • They exercise the brain.

Puzzle training trains the left and right halves of the brain. The left part is the methodical, objective and logical side, while the right part is responsible for intuitive, creative and emotional thinking. When putting together a puzzle, the two sides correspond, thus increasing cognitive function. The main function of the back of the brain is to send signals from the primary visual cortex to the visual associative cortex. Thus, the perceived visual information is analyzed and visual memories are stored in the memory.

  • Fine motor skills and coordination develop

Every time we remove or add a piece of the puzzle, we need solid fine motor control. In wooden puzzles, children actively practice their movements while removing the pieces of the puzzle and then placing them in the right place. They are a great option for people who have a problem with dexterity, as the pieces are thicker and easier to grip. The development of fine motor skills is especially important in young children, and through puzzles they can develop the strength of the muscles of the fingers to hold an object. If puzzles are used from an early age, it will be easier to hold a pencil later. Puzzles are also used in therapy after traumatic injuries to fingers and hands, as well as after brain injuries, which need to re-educate the brain and improve coordination with the hands.

  • Increases attention to detail and develops perseverance.

When solving a puzzle, especially a colorful one with similar pieces, it is crucial to pay attention to the small details. In this way, you successfully train your eyes to find differences in colors and shapes to successfully complete the image. It is always better to turn off the TV to focus on the puzzle. Getting lost in image design, you will find yourself detaching your mind from all the worries and stresses of the environment. The process of putting together a puzzle helps people of all ages to develop a sense of perseverance until the puzzle is completed. And once that happens, you get the satisfaction of the result, which in turn improves your self-esteem. Lack of self-esteem today leads to a number of health problems, and it can not always be acquired by external factors.

  • Improve memory.         

As you try to solve a puzzle, you strengthen the connections of neurons and generate new ones. In this way you increase mental speed and thought processes. When you pick up a puzzle piece, you need to look for the appropriate colour or shape among the others and visualize the image on a larger scale to see which pieces are synchronized. In this way, the part of the brain responsible for storing this information is exercised, helping to maintain and improve short-term memory. A number of studies show that daily solving puzzles, crosswords, riddles can increase a person’s IQ by up to 5 points.

  • Improves mood and reduces stress levels

Dopamine production in the brain increases with solving puzzles. And we know that it is the main neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood and optimism. It also affects learning, memory, concentration and motivation. Dopamine is released every time we put together a puzzle and put a piece in the right place. This benefits our health because it makes us challenge ourselves every day and encourages us to do it again and again. In addition to challenging us, the puzzle helps us relax. Our brains go from the so-called “Beta” state to the “Alpha” as we put the puzzles together. These brain waves are in constant motion, everything we say and think regulates the frequencies of the brain waves. When we communicate, our brain is in a “Beta” state, in this state we are active and awake. In the Alpha state, our brain waves travel twice as many cycles per second, and then we are in a state of deep relaxation and meditation, similar to the state we are in while dreaming.

When you are happier and less stressed, it is easier to concentrate in each direction and your productivity increases. When you feel you have trouble focusing on your studies or work, consider taking a short break to put together a puzzle and restart your brain.

  • Delays dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

A number of medical studies have shown that keeping the brain active by solving puzzles and other activities can reduce the amount of brain cell damage that occurs in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The earlier you start making puzzles a regular part of your life, the better. It’s never too late to start protecting your brain.

Now that you know a little about the benefits of solving puzzles for all ages … you can look for your puzzle and think about your health and the people around you!