Solving jigsaw puzzles helps to pass the time and ease boredom. In addition, solving puzzles also helps people calm down from anxiety. Robyn Breen turns to puzzles instead of prescription medication when anxiety strikes. Jigsaw puzzles do have stress-relieving benefits, as clinical neuropsychologist Susan Vandermorris tells Reader’s Digest:
Any type of puzzle is good for the brain and points to the stress-relieving benefits of jigsaws, in particular, she says. “If you’re doing a puzzle, you are, by definition, disconnected and engaged in a task that’s immersive, away from the interruptions and stresses of day-to-day life,” she explains. “And that, of course, is good for your brain.”
Vandermorris believes that doing puzzles with others boasts even more health benefits than doing them on your own, adding that it provides a rare opportunity for intergenerational engagement. “Get the teenagers off their smartphones and working on a puzzle with Grandma, and suddenly you’ve got a really nice family interaction that seems to be harder and harder to come by these days,” she adds.
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