Currently Empty: $0.00
First produced around 1760 by a mapmaker in London named John Spilsbury, jigsaw puzzles have long been loved as one of the most accessible hobbies worldwide. Known for its interlocking and mosaicked pieces, jigsaw puzzle is a game that can provide players with positive emotion and entertainment. The name “jigsaw” comes from the tools used to cut out the pieces—variably identified as jigsaws, fretsaws or scroll saws.
Jigsaw puzzles come in various shapes, sizes and piece count, such as – 300 and 500 pieces for kids or beginners, 1000 and 2000 pieces for adults or puzzle collectors. Of course, there are many puzzles on the market that contain more puzzle pieces for those looking for a challenge, but we recommend getting familiar with the workload with some fewer piece count puzzles before making the commitment. Although most people only think of it as a hobby to relax or kill time, some recent research suggests this simple entertainment also has many great benefits to our mental health and brain development.
Why is doing jigsaw puzzles good for you?
Indeed, jigsaw puzzle is a fun game to play, but it can be so much more! There are numerous benefits this simple toy can provide us with, from pushing our brain for development to getting us out of a bad mood, jigsaw puzzles can be a versatile medicine to a lot of problems.
The truth is, when we work on a puzzle, either quick online puzzles or exquisite art puzzles, we are urging our brain to enter a state that psychologists call “flow”. Flow is a mental state that our brain enters when we are fully immersed in an activity. We feel energized, highly focused, engaged, and excited by the task at hand. Whenever something puts us in the “flow”, we develop new neural pathways and connections that make our brains more active and push them beyond their limits. This is why jigsaw puzzles have withstood the test of time and remain popular around the world. In many ways, it’s more than just a toy, it’s a simple energy booster to keep our minds sharp. Below are the 10 surprising benefits of Jigsaw puzzles, keep reading if you want to find out the details.
1. Self-evaluation Training
Truth be told, self-evaluation is an important skill in today’s society and is often seen as a must-have for anybody who wants to be somebody. Jigsaw puzzles are said to be the perfect training for improving this skill. In a jigsaw puzzle, we are constantly evaluating our actions and decisions as we fill in the gaps between puzzle pieces. Since there are no fixed rules, we are free to take any random action to solve the puzzle, and our evaluation of all previous actions will guide us through the task. By repeating this process, we can improve the accuracy of our self-evaluations.
2. Improve Memory Ability
As we all know, jigsaw puzzles are a kind of game that can improve the cognitive function of our brain, especially effective in improving our memory ability. Jigsaw puzzles require our brains to focus and eliminate any distractions. For a period of time, we are immersed in the images given and think only about the completion. This immersion encourages our brains to develop the habit of concentration, which in turn improves our memory abilities.
3. Hand-eye Coordination
Extensive research by neuroscientists shows that the time we spend planning and executing actions increases greatly during high-accuracy tasks involving many visual stimulations. Since our eyes fixate on the target before our hands are used to performing the task, the activity of repeatedly connecting puzzle pieces will greatly improve our hand-eye coordination.
4. Problem-Solving Skills
Playing jigsaw puzzles can have many positive effects, including improving our problem-solving skills. This game requires patience, which helps improve concentration and attention span. When we are analyzing the pieces, our brain is performing analytical thinking to figure out how to fit them together. As a result, jigsaw puzzles can improve our cognitive skills, critical thinking, and logical reasoning.
5. Increase Concentration Level
Completing jigsaw puzzles is a great way to improve our concentration level without being forced to do something we don’t like. It is a mini adventure through the image and we only have to focus on the piece in front of us. It really doesn’t get any simpler than this.
6. Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
According to recent scientific findings, assembling puzzles can have a very positive impact on our brains and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Jigsaw puzzles are scientifically proven to help people relax and have a calming effect, reducing anxiety levels, making this game the perfect remedy to relieve inner stress. Studies have also found that people who regularly play jigsaw puzzles have a reduced proportion of the protein in their brains, lowering their chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
7. Improve Sleep Quality
Jigsaw puzzles are also known to improve our sleep. There’s lots of scenery, art, and fun puzzles that don’t require that much nerve-wracking to complete. Choose your favourite box of puzzles and work on it for a while before bed. It helps us manage our day-to-day stress and forget about that long to-do list in our head. If you have trouble winding down before bed, try turning off the TV or phone and just focus on a box of your favourite puzzles. You will find that it is easier for you to fall asleep and relax properly this way.
8. Boosting Mood
Little by little, the process of completing jigsaw puzzle games can provide us with a sense of accomplishment. Every satisfying finding will encourage us to continue and look for more possible interlocking. It helps our body to release more dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for motivation and reward, which significantly better our mood.
9. Encourage teamwork
Of course, puzzles can also be enjoyed as a team activity. In fact, it’s a great tool that can provide you and others with the opportunity to build a team while having a great time. There are many puzzle tournaments where players have to work as a team to complete the puzzles. Players must collaborate and use problem-solving skills to complete puzzles, helping each other along the way and forming connections throughout the game. If you know friends who are interested in fun, collaborative, and exciting games, invite them to join you in a jigsaw puzzle game in which you can pool your energy and brainpower together.
10. Increase productivity
If you’re having trouble concentrating on studying or working, a short puzzle break might be the best boost to jumpstart your brain. Putting a puzzle together is a perfect activity to organize our thoughts and help us accomplish our work. It is a game that has a clear framework that helps players stay focused, with patience and care, we will improve our working habits through a puzzle game and increase our productivity. Many companies are beginning to place puzzles and similar games at their workplaces. These games can help employees take a short break from work and come back refreshed and ready to start again.
