A Perfect Match: The Benefits of Jigsaw Puzzles

A PERFECT MATCH:

THE BENEFITS OF JIGSAW PUZZLES

It doesn’t matter our age, odds are most of us love puzzles. Be it the brain stimulation or the entertainment value – who doesn’t look for a puzzle on a rainy day at the beach? Many of us are drawn to many different types of puzzles. We start out at a young age working puzzles – those three- to five-pieced puzzles. They’re captivating even as infants.

Young children thrive on challenges by putting together age-appropriate puzzles. What’s more are the developmental benefits we receive from puzzles. Starting out as toddlers, puzzles help our development – the fine motor skills stretch, handeye coordination improves, as well as spatial awareness and problem-solving. “Young children learn by doing. The act of putting age-appropriate puzzles together is a huge benefit for a child’s development,” said Beth Hepler, director of First Presbyterian Church’s Child Development Center. “This eye-hand correlation activity requires concentration and the use of repetitive memory skills. Even the feeling of accomplishment is very rewarding! And it is all connected with math. What is gained from putting together puzzles is limitless.”

But let’s not forget to mention the sense of accomplishment, satisfaction at completion. It’s an opportunity to persevere, learn patience, and overcome challenges. Working on a puzzle is an effective way to help improve our short-term memory, as well. Research has found even older adults who regularly work puzzles have sharper brains. Working puzzles improves our Visual-Spatial Reasoning – those skills help with our daily tasks, including driving a car, and packing our suitcase and car trunks. Not only can piecing together a puzzle improve your thinking, the best of it is it can delay dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Putting together a puzzle protects our brains. “When it comes to the benefits of puzzles – whether jigsaw, word, or other types – the picture is largely a common sense one. Engagement with puzzles requires multiple cognitive domains from attention and concentration to visuospatial skills and working memory. They can also provide benefits in the psychological domain as people often experience them as fun, challenging, or relaxing, which comes with a host of mood-related and even social benefits,” said Dr. Brittany Rainwater, Psy.D, LCP, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Director of Behavioral Science, McLeod Family Medicine Center. “The research, of which there is more and more on the topic, appears to suggest that doing puzzles improves cognitive skills, even some aspects of intelligence (i.e. fluid intelligence), and slows cognitive decline. The jury is still out on just how helpful different ‘brain-training’ programs can be and in what context. Puzzles don’t seem to be any kind of magic wand for increasing IQ or eliminating dementia, but they do seem to be a part of the big picture (with sleep and exercise) of improving our overall mental/cognitive/ emotional health throughout the lifespan.” Dr. Rainwater continued, “But back to the commonsense part – our brain is very much like the rest of our body. When we give it regular exercise, it doesn’t eliminate disease, aging, or injury, but it sure offers a lot of protection and makes us stronger, quicker, and more resilient.” Sitting down to a puzzle feels calming, restorative and productive. Working a puzzle increases the production of dopamine, a chemical that regulates mood, memory, and concentration.

“An increased production of dopamine in the body brings self-satisfaction as a child proudly exclaims, ‘I did it all by myself!” Hepler said. And if you’re like me, find an eyecapturing puzzle and then seal, frame it, hang it, or give it away. The Charles Wysocki puzzle I completed is waiting to be sealed. And the Clemson stadium one is waiting to be put together for my home office. And the completed Van Gogh puzzles are framed in my older brother’s home.

So the next time you reach for a puzzle, know there’s more to it than filling the afternoon with something to do. You’re restoring regulation to the brain. Stimulating your focus and thinking goes a long way, especially in bringing back a sense of calm and comfort that was there as a child.

PUZZLING BENEFITS:

• Improved Memory • Better Problem-Solving Skills • Improved Visual-Spatial Reasoning • Increased IQ • Improved Mood • Lower Stress Levels • Increased Attention to Detail • Increased Productivity • Better Collaboration