Jigsawing My Way to Bliss
My students often imagine my life to be a lot more interesting than it actually is.
I don't want to disappoint, but I'm kinda boring. That is to say I have developed an interest, an obsessed need atually, for jigsaw puzzles.
Let me explain: Growing up, I hated them. Just seeing one in a friends homes brought me into eye rolls. Having absolutely no patience, the damn things looked far too high-IQ, perfectionistic and geometry-based. That is until I strolled into a Dollar Tree en route to a vacation in Healdsburg CA. Just for the helluvit, I bought a flimsy round $3 puzzle along with about a dozen other bits and bobs, and plopped it down in our hotel room. 3 hours later, it was 1am. You see; here's the deal: It's so satisfying.
All puzzles are therapy puzzles. Piece by piece, you feel the progressive muscle relaxation as your thoughts quiet to find the next fit. You find a sense of achievement with yet another satisfactory snap of interlocking shapes. You create something beautiful. . . . Escaping into the calm of sorting and piecing together for 20 minutes relieves anxiety. Investing 25 minutes engaging in puzzle games increases your IQ by 4 points according to research by Dr. Susanne Jäggi at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Susan Vandermorris is a clinical neuropsychologist at Toronto’s Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in brain health. She reports: “In our hyperconnected world, if you’re physically doing a paper or cardboard puzzle, you are, by definition, disconnected and engaged in a task that’s immersive, away from the interruptions and stresses of day-to-day life,” she says. “And that, of course, is good for your brain health.”
A few benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles include:
Relieve stress:
Concentration becomes its own form of meditation. The mind settles into a state of peacefulness even as both the left and right brain are both engaged. Silently and seamlessly the completion of a puzzle develops flexibility, reflection, and patience. It’s the perfect digital detox.
Boost dopamine:
Optimism increases through the accomplishment of successful interlocking. A release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for motivation and reward, washes the brain in pleasure. The result is a brightened mood and old-fashioned, biochemical encouragement.
Improve sleep:
Nighttime puzzling proves itself as an effective relaxation technique. It's a lovely pre-bed stress removal system. Any worries or to-dos of tomorrow will melt away. Be ready for deep sleep.
Exercise memory:
Jigsaw puzzles sharpen cognitive function by presenting creative challenges. Keeping segments of the brain active aid cranium elasticity and efficiency. Current neurology experts assert that mental exercise can slow the progression of memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease through the stimulation of neuroplasticity.
Deepen connections:
Bonds develop over the completion of a puzzle. Offers of help flow into a dialogue, into a real conversation. The quality time and memories made only validate what Springbok has known since the beginning: Love completes the puzzle.®
Here’s to Passionate Puzzling!
