Boost Your Brainpower: The Surprising Mental Health Benefits of Puzzles, Quizzes, and Games

People play games, assemble puzzles, and take fun quizzes to relax and feel in control of the situation. Killing time while traveling or waiting for an event are just a few other reasons many enjoy games. Furthermore, these kinds of activities encourage one to overcome obstacles and make new achievements. Puzzles and games also form positive self-esteem.

In addition to being an exciting pastime, intellectual games are an effective way of maintaining and improving cognitive functions. In a world full of stress and growing demands, such games help train mental abilities. They improve memory, attention, reaction speed, and logical thinking.

Why is intellectual activity important?

It is no secret that natural aging processes affect our brains. Fortunately, it was proven that regular intellectual activity can significantly slow down cognitive decline. Intellectual games and quizzes challenge humans’ memory and problem-solving abilities. As a result, they stimulate the brain, create new neural connections, and maintain existing ones.

Neurobiologists confirm that the brain retains plasticity even in old age. This means that it is still capable of forming new connections between neurons if there is the right stimulation. Intellectual games and puzzles are just such a stimulus, forcing the brain to work and train.

Scientists have long known that to maintain a highly functioning brain with age, this organ must be trained just like the rest of the body. It is no coincidence that most people engaged in intellectual work, such as scientists, retain clarity of thought and a good memory into old age. The number of years spent solving puzzles and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease have a strong relationship. So, the sooner brain exercising will become a regular part of your leisure time, the better for your mental health.

How to boost brainpower on a daily basis?

It is easy to turn intellectual games into a pleasant habit. Here are a few suggestions to make it easier:

• You should choose games that match your current level of cognitive abilities, gradually making the tasks more difficult.
• Intellectual games, quizzes, and puzzles should become part of your daily routine - even 15-20 minutes of daily exercise will be beneficial.
• Alternate different types of games to stimulate different parts of the brain. For example, one day you can take a logo quiz and the other day you can assemble puzzles or play Monopoly with your friends.

Even small achievements deserve recognition and encouragement. Let’s consider some of your options.

3D Puzzles

As the name suggests, 3D puzzles are a type of puzzle that can form a three-dimensional shape. These games develop spatial thinking, hand-eye coordination, and perseverance. When assembling 3D puzzles, the player has to put together different elements to get the final result, which can help improve creative thinking and problem-solving.

Crosswords

This is a classical game that can train your brain. According to researchers from the University of Exeter and King’s College London, this activity delays brain ageing by 10 years. They found a direct relationship between the frequency of crossword puzzle solving and the speed and accuracy of cognitive tasks testing attention, reasoning ability, and memory, including short-term memory.

Trivia Quizzes

Trivia games challenge players to recall facts, answer questions, and solve puzzles. They cover various topics like history, science, entertainment, and sports. Popular examples include Jeopardy!, Trivial Pursuit, QuizUp, and online versions of these games.

Sudoku

Sudoku is another great game for your brain.  The player needs to fill the cells with the corresponding numbers so that numbers in each row, each column, and each small square appear only once. The higher the level, the higher the demands on cognitive abilities.

Online Games

Nowadays, there are numerous websites and apps with an endless variety of games for improving brain functions. This means you can take a quiz or play a game at any time, making it a convenient brain-boosting activity. You can do it during your ride to work, breaks, or leisure time. 

Bottom line

Whether you're looking for a quick challenge during your break or a fun activity to start your day, intellection games keep your mind sharp and protect your brain! Assembling puzzles and doing daily quizzes with curious or fun questions, such as guessing the meaning of this emoji, brings many benefits. From training memory and preventing illnesses to improving mood and helping to develop learning abilities, these are proven brainpower boosters. So why not try assembling a puzzle or playing a game with your family, team, and friends, and see the benefits for yourself?

It is never too late to start taking care of your cognitive health, but the sooner the better. Intellectual games are beneficial at any age, but the maximum effect can be achieved if you start regular exercises before noticeable cognitive problems appear.