Knowing how online puzzle games help your brain will change your mind about your favorite game genre. In simple terms, they improve your brain’s ability to change and adapt through experience. And, working on puzzles increases dopamine production, which influences mood, focus, and memory.
Puzzle games are also a great way to relax and recharge. They are easy to learn and carry around, and perfect for players of any age. So, even if you aren’t looking for a brain workout, you can enjoy a convenient destressing mechanism, especially if you find online puzzle games free of charge.
I’ve researched several studies on the relationship between the brain and modern puzzle games, highlighting how the process works and how you benefit from it. Let’s explore my findings below:
Online Puzzle Games and How They Impact Your Brain
Interestingly, older adults who play online puzzle games report enhanced working memory and concentration equivalent to younger adults who hadn’t played at all. Recent studies also suggest that the games positively impact the central nervous system and activate the stress path, leading to changes in brain signals and enhanced cognitive ability.
Here’s how online puzzle games positively influence your brain:
They Provide Positive Reinforcement
Puzzles are gamified problems we can solve by engaging our learning, critical thinking, and memory skills. So, by rewarding every win, brain games equip us with the confidence to confront in-game obstacles while creating a positive association with solving real-life problems.
Similarly, brain games encourage us to focus and concentrate on developing new skills and new brain connections. Hence, people who play brain games regularly tend to pick up new skills much quicker since they teach us how to learn in a judgment-free space.
While I’m no newbie to traditional brain games, I didn’t expect to find digital ones so engaging. They taught me that every single step mattered and with every crushed level, I was pumped for another. Moreover, I felt a sense of accomplishment from solving a challenging puzzle, which stimulated my brain’s dopamine production and improved my mood.
They Offer Relaxation
Brain games are relaxing pastimes that can help you process thoughts, emotions, and events effortlessly. Like meditation, they keep your brain engaged in a controlled and comforting environment away from every day worries. This state of relaxation can help you think more clearly by streamlining mind clutter.
For many people, brain games are “no stakes tasks”, where they can find distraction from stress, grief, and illness. They also provide an outlet for anxiety and help manage the effects of PTSD. Plus, brain games can offer a substitute for depressive habits like doomscrolling while providing dopamine from accomplishing a task.
Additionally, brain games can help tire your brain out if you experience trouble sleeping. It allows you to calmly expend mental energy so that when you crawl into bed, you fall asleep quicker.
They Teach and Reinforce Critical Thinking Skills
Neurology patients are often given brain games to keep their minds active. This means that brain games can stimulate the brain by teaching and reinforcing challenges. For seniors, completing several brain games a week is crucial to slowing cognitive decline.
Generally, the brain gets better at tasks it performs regularly. So, while the cognitive benefits of brains may take years to surface, they are certainly there (and compounding). Like any other skill, tracking your progress can provide a timeline of your improvement and bring a sense of accomplishment and motivation.
Furthermore, there are many brain games under the sun, each with unique characteristics. For instance, Bubble Shooter is perfect if you love gaming communities and chess is ideal for more rigorous multiplayer fun. However, both games are satisfying, mentally stimulating, and rewarding.
They Facilitate Social Interaction
Brain games create a platform to interact with friends, family members, and like-minded strangers through shared problem-solving and discussion. Digital brain games also provide a satisfying middle ground for players who enjoy video games but not traditional puzzles.
Digital puzzle games are arguably superior to their traditional counterparts because players can effortlessly move in and out of participating without spoiling the game. You can also skip the typically tedious rules that you must learn on the fly, only to never play the game again. Instead, you can settle on a multiplayer brain game with your friends and play from anywhere.
Boosting Brainpower with Online Puzzle Games
When you understand how online puzzle games help your brain, adapting one to your lifestyle becomes a no-brainer. Not only do they provide an escape from everyday stress, but they can also offer a healthy coping mechanism for people living with depression and anxiety.
Overall, online puzzle games have an untapped ability to support cognitive health by encouraging skill development with positive reinforcement. So, they are an invaluable addition to your routine, regardless of age!
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