Personalised puzzles have a vast array of wonderful health benefits. Many people struggle with calming their minds after a long day at work. Some try yoga and end up fast asleep on the yoga mat, others try meditation but still proves to be a futile experience. However, many people have found an answer to help relax the mind, that is solving jigsaw puzzles! Jigsaw puzzles’ popularity has seen an upturn in use for people who want to relax and practice mindfulness as well as a hobby to pass time.

 

Different types of jigsaw puzzles

 

• Cardboard jigsaw puzzles – Made from cardboard these are diverse and the degree of difficulty is enormous due to the different die cuts, puzzle piece shapes and different sizes. 

 

• Modern wooden jigsaw puzzles – These wooden jigsaw puzzles are cut using a laser cutting machine. They are costly to make however the end result is very nice. 

 

• Floor jigsaw puzzles – This usually takes the form of huge, thick pieces that are colorful enough to attract and retain the interest of the toddler and are durable. These are great for kids.

 

• Educational jigsaw puzzles- They are fun and must include visually attractive images to keep the kids interested and engaged.

 

• Three dimensional jigsaw puzzles –  These puzzles have a 3D model that interconnect with its puzzle shaped pieces. These are loved by people who solve puzzles as a hobby and would like to place the puzzle on display.

 

• Personalised jigsaw puzzles – To create a personalised puzzle you can pick your favorite picture and turn it into a puzzle. This is a sentimental gift that will keep the user entertained for hours and hours on end. Smoochy Poochy provides a great range of personalised puzzles, check out the range here. 

 

Health Benefits of Jigsaw Puzzles

There are also various health benefits associated with jigsaw puzzles. These benefits include;

 

Help in Mindfulness and Relaxation. 

When solving a jigsaw puzzle, your mind tends to get laser-focused on the puzzle and also keeps both the left and right side of your brain engaged therefore improving mindfulness and relaxation. Solving custom jigsaw puzzles helps improve problem-solving skills and prolong the attention span.

 

Improve Your Short-term Memory

Jigsaw puzzles can help improve the short-term memory of your brain.  By reinforcing, connections between brain cells improve mental speed.

 

Help to Improve Your Visual-spatial Reasoning

When looking at an individual piece of the puzzle and trying to figure out where each piece fits in the bigger picture, you’re improving visual-spatial reasoning.  Visual-spatial reasoning is what helps us when doing daily activities such as parking, driving, dancing, and other daily activities.

 

Social engagement 

Puzzles encourage social engagement. Solving a personalised puzzle as a family is a fun way to have quality time together especially for parents because they can use that time to catch up with their kids and get to know what is going on in their personal life. 

 

Meditation and Stress-relieving 

When you focus on solving a jigsaw puzzle, you put off extraneous thoughts from entering your mind. It really is like meditation on its own. This gives a feeling of tranquility which helps relieve stress and hence lowering blood pressure and heart rate.

 

Encourages Digital Detox

After a long day at work and being engaged with digital gadgets like phones, tablets, and computers, a jigsaw puzzle is a great escape if you need some solo time away from the gadgets. Solving the puzzle will help you relax and calm your thoughts before retiring to bed which will also may help promote the quality of your sleep.

 

Quality of Life

According to a recent study published in the Archives of Neurology, puzzling stimulates the brain and wards off the plaque that is the marker of Alzheimer’s. Also according to a study, people who do jigsaw and crossword puzzles have a longer lifespan and have a low probability of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

 

Problem Solving Ability

To solve a puzzle you take different approaches which involve trial and error.  You get to learn the power of testing hypotheses and changing perspective if only to complete the puzzle. These skills can be transferred to work where you become more adaptive, critical thinker, and more innovative problem solver.

 

Increasing Productivity

Increased productivity is realised when one can focus and concentrate on a particular task. This could be beneficial in the workplace encouraging employees to take some time out to relax and focus on a few puzzle pieces.

 

Promote Collaboration and Teamwork

When teammates solve a custom puzzle together it helps to improve their relationships and ability to cooperate and work together as a team.

 

Better Mood

There can be an increased amount of dopamine production in the brain when solving puzzles. This can help to regulate mood and optimism. Dopamine also affects learning, motivation, memory, and concentration

 

Conclusion

Jigsaw puzzles are good for the mind, body, and soul. They can encourage mindfulness, improve your short-term memory, help to improve your visual-spatial reasoning, social engagement, stress-relieving, digital detox, quality of life, problem solving ability, increasing productivity, promote collaboration and better mood. To order your personalised puzzles go to www.smoochypoochy.com.au