The Surprising Benefits Of Playing With Puzzles As An Adult

When you think of puzzles, you probably think of the simple puzzles your kids play with on the coffee table or on the carpet. But puzzles aren't just for kids' development and helping to boost problem-solving skills.

Adults can benefit from puzzles just like kids can and they're a great way to challenge yourself without being in a high-stress environment. Here are a few ways you can benefit from big jigsaw puzzles even as a grown-up.

Puzzles lower your stress levels

You might not think that puzzles can help you relax when you're stressed about finding the perfect piece to fit that corner piece. But as it turns out, your brain goes from wakeful state to a meditative state when you're solving a puzzle.

This simple shift in consciousness has many benefits including stress relief, improved mood, improved mindset, and increased self-confidence. This is especially beneficial because of the amount of stress on our shoulders.

According to a Harris Poll, up to 80% of working people in the U.S. experience workplace stress. Coming home to work on a puzzle may be one way to reduce that stress.

Puzzles improve your mood

Puzzles help to increase the brain's production of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood, feelings of optimism, memory, concentration, and motivation.

By working on a puzzle, you can temporarily boost your brain's production of dopamine, which can help to improve your mood and concentration.

Puzzles improve your visual-spatial reasoning

When you're working on a big jigsaw puzzle, you're looking at all the different pieces in the puzzle to figure out how they'll fit together and form a larger picture. By regularly working on puzzles, you can improve your visual-spatial reasoning, which helps with everyday tasks.

Common everyday tasks where visual-spatial reasoning is necessary includes using a map, driving a car, parking a car, and packing boxes.

Ready to get your brain going?

The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a major role in your body's movement. That means movement gets the brain going and an active body makes an active brain. If you're looking to get your own brain going and to make learning a hands-on affair, a big jigsaw puzzle or wood craft kit might be for you.

You don't need to work with difficult puzzles to get the same brain-stimulating experience. Find family games, big jigsaw puzzles, 500 piece puzzles that you can enjoy to stimulate your mind with fun.