Nothing beats sitting down with a good puzzle. When it’s time to unwind and you want to avoid staring at screens, puzzles offer an excellent outlet that not only brings you joy but helps work your brain, too. In our constantly connected culture, selective attention spans are under 9 seconds, which is shorter than a goldfish’s. Still, many adults report that they find it hard to concentrate, especially when they aren’t focused on work, watching a video, or scrolling online.
Among seniors, puzzles can help improve attention, cognition, and mental clarity. In children, puzzles teach patience, persistence, and delayed gratification. Here are four reasons why puzzles are excellent tools for improving attention span.
1- They Require Problem-Solving
To solve a jigsaw puzzle, you have to continuously look for patterns and develop a strategy. The interactive element of putting a puzzle together keeps the brain engaged. You’ll often find your attention shifting from one part of the puzzle to another without ever losing focus on your end goal. This helps you increase your sustained attention span while staying entertained.
While solving a puzzle is a reward in and of itself, the skills you gain can help you solve other problems, too. They foster a sense of creativity, curiosity, and out-of-the-box thinking that helps you look beyond what’s in front of you to work toward a solution.
2- They Increase the Production of Dopamine
Dopamine is a reward neurotransmitter that makes you want to do things again. Putting together a puzzle releases dopamine, thereby increasing your attention and ability to concentrate on the task of putting it together.
Many children, teens, and adults suffer from dopamine burnout due to constant digital media exposure. Unplugging and reconnecting with a slow-paced, more involved task like solving a puzzle can help slowly rewire the brain to not crave constant stimulation and pleasure.
3- They Use the Left-Side of the Brain
In reality, both sides of the brain are in use all the time, but puzzles particularly activate the left hemisphere, which is tradionally linked with logic and problem solving. For many people, the chance to dedicate themselves to solving a puzzle offers an approachable but rewarding challenge. It requires them to think more strategically than they usually do, which increases their focus.
4- They Require You to Focus on One Task for a Long Period of Time
Even easy puzzles require dedication. The commitment to solving the puzzle ultimately requires more attention than most daily tasks, which can help improve attention span. One of the best ways to improve concentration is to choose engaging but low-risk tasks that simoltaneously improve attention while lowering stress.
Puzzles are excellent choices for expanding attention spans because they are approachable and customizable for all ages and skill levels. You can consider starting with a simple 50-piece puzzle, then work your way up to 100 and beyond.
Likewise, there are large puzzles, jigsaw puzzles with over 1,000 pieces, and puzzles for kids that allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of solving the challenge.
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