We had an official ‘puzzle board’ in our family back in the day. Our dad cut it on our grandfather’s table saw (a plumber by trade but a carpenter at heart) in the basement. It was perfectly sized for puzzles, small and large, and it provided us with many fun hours of family time.
Lately I hear of more and more people enjoying jigsaw puzzles. It had me thinking, what’s the draw of the jigsaw? And so I did some digging and was surprised to find out that there are many benefits to spending time around the puzzle. Here are just a few things I discovered:
* Doing puzzles provides some great brain exercise since it exercises both the right and left sides. Right side being in charge of creativity, emotions and intuitive thinking; and the left is the logical, objective and methodical side.
* Improves short-term memory. Damn I need to get me some puzzles. Finding myself in the kitchen and asking “why did I come in here?” is happening a lot more often lately. What about you?
* Research indicates that people who work on puzzles can have reduced risks for memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. Doing puzzles gets the brain working and helps to cut down on the buildup of plaque that occurs with Alzheimer’s. Exercising the mind helps prevent cognitive decline.
* Relieves stress and improves mood: studies indicate that jigsaw puzzles stimulate the brain while simultaneously allowing us to relax our minds. Solving puzzles increases brain production of dopamine, which is responsible for regulating mood. It also affects memory, concentration, learning, and motivation. Dopamine is released every time we do a puzzle and even every time we put a piece in the right place it provides encouragement. Woo hoo!
* Improves problem solving skills: in solving the puzzles you take different trial and error approaches to solving the puzzle. These skills can be transferred to other areas of your life.
* Jigsaw puzzles aren't just great for group interactions, they can also provide a quiet and meditative solo activity.
I’m excited to start clicking those puzzle pieces into place, watching the picture come together, and reaping all of these great benefits. And did you know that January is National Puzzle Month? It was news to me. To celebrate, I’ve launched a new collection of Jigsaw Puzzles. Below are just a few of the 30+ Jigsaw Puzzles available at PatriciaG’s Gift Shop.
Happy Holiday Season and Big Love, PatriciaG
NOTE:
- BIG SALES and FREE STANDARD SHIPPING are happening right NOW! Use code MERRY22
- Order by December 12th to receive in time for Christmas (with standard shipping)
- As always, it would jingle my bells if you shared this with family and friends. Grazie!
Start shopping HERE