PEACEFUL PUZZLING

Why the humble puzzle is more than just a fun pastime…

You’ve just looked at the clock. Wow, where did that time go? If you’re a puzzle fan, you’ve been there. Time just seems to melt away and, for more than a few moments, you’ve been absolutely lost among the pieces. Jigsaw puzzles have the power to pull some of us in like nothing else, but are there more benefits to puzzling than just a way to keep hands busy?

Going with the flow

Mindfulness is on the agenda more and more these days as many of us look to take time out from the day-to-day stresses of modern life. Experts agree that regularly connecting with the here and now is powerful in supporting our mental wellbeing. This focus on the moment is the principle at the heart of mindfulness and jigsaw puzzles can play a part in this practice thanks to their ability to completely absorb our attention. Psychologists sometimes refer to total immersion in an activity as being in a ‘flow state’ – to you and me, this is better known as being ‘in the zone’. There is no doubt that time flies when you’re piecing together a fabulous jigsaw puzzle but there are even more positives to puzzling.

Getting in the know

Did you know that completing puzzles activates both the left and right sides of our brains? As you puzzle, both sides are working together: organising and putting the pieces together works the left, logical side of your brain while imagining and seeing the imagery unfolding draws upon the right, creative side of your brain. A study in 2018* highlighted that puzzling engages many of our cognitive abilities, including short and long-term memory, as well as mental rotation and spatial perception. While these benefits may not be immediately obvious when you’re enjoying a little jigsaw time, there is no mistaking that lovely feeling of satisfaction when that elusive piece is finally slotted into the right place. This sense of accomplishment is great for our general wellbeing, and it’s one of the reasons so many of us simply love a puzzle.

These are just a few of the great things about putting those pieces together. So, if you ever need an excuse to while away some time with a jigsaw, rest assured there are plenty to be had.

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Source: The Ulm Jigsaw Puzzle Study (Fissler, 2018)