While physical health has always been given importance, very few realize the importance of mental well-being. Moreover, as we traverse through the second wave of the pandemic, maintaining brain health along with physical fitness is vital. There are multiple ways one could exercise their brain, but the most entertaining of them all is playing games online. Games such as Sudoku, Chess, and other puzzle games are a great source of entertainment and help promote brain health.
You may find it difficult to play chess, but Sudoku is an easier path to promoting your brain health. Sudoku is one of the most popular number games that doesn’t require you to excel at math. People from different age groups play the sudoku puzzle game. All you have to do is strategically place numbers 1 to 9 in a 9×9 grid such that no number is repeated more than once in any column, row, or in the nine 3×3 sections.
Like any other game, when you play Sudoku online or offline, there are specific rules you have to follow. The sudoku puzzles have varying difficulty levels, and solving the puzzles is a good exercise for the brain. The puzzles are known to boost brain health and help you stay sharp. As per a study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, if people over the age of 50 play sudoku puzzles and crosswords, their brain functions better. However, how these games impact us in the long term and if they can prevent cognitive decline is not yet proved.
Also Read: Top Mental Benefits of Playing 8 Ball Pool Game
5 ways playing Sudoku puzzles helps boost brain health
Enhances Concentration
When playing Sudoku, you need to think logically to arrive at the correct solutions. If you lose your concentration in this number game, you won’t go too far and might end up filling the blank squares with the wrong number. A person playing sudoku gets completely absorbed in the game. Even if you take a break and resume the game later, you will have to start the whole thinking process. Evidently, Sudoku requires concentration and focus, and playing the game regularly, enhances concentration.
Reduces chances of developing Alzheimer’s
You may have heard about how Alzheimer’s disease results in memory loss, mainly at an old age. While there’s nothing much that medical professionals can do to help prevent the disease, they advise that specific brain exercises can help slow down the process of losing memory. Some of the factors that can slow down the impact of the disease are regular exercise, regulated blood pressure, and memory training exercises.
Solving sudoku puzzles stimulates the brain and keeps it active. The puzzles are based on logic and strategy, which prove to be a good exercise for the brain. Keeping your brain fit and active by solving the puzzles lowers a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
Sudoku Improves Memory
Finding the solutions in the Sudoku puzzle requires the player to memorize the numbers already used to avoid repetition. Logic and memory go hand-in-hand while solving the puzzles. Sudoku is the perfect game to improve your memory because you have to keep the possible solutions in mind while finding solutions for the blank squares. For instance, if a 3×3 section contains numbers 2,3, 6, and 8, it means that the missing numbers in that section are 1,4,5, 7, and 9. When you pick a blank square to find the solution, you will have to keep in mind the existing numbers, the missing numbers, and also the numbers that already exist in the corresponding row and column. Moreover, the online sudoku puzzles are mostly timed, which requires you to memorize certain numbers to solve the puzzle quickly.
You can also play ludo online to relax your brain and improve logical thinking!
Improves Reaction Time
The Sudoku puzzles on MPL are time-based, which means you have to find solutions before the timer ends and also score higher to beat your opponent. Playing sudoku with a timer improves your reaction time, and you are required to make quick decisions and make moves without hesitation.
Helps Relieve Anxiety and Stress
If you’ve had a long day at work and need to unwind, Sudoku is the best game to play online. It is a great stress buster as the puzzles help calm your mind and keep anxiety and stress at bay. When you spend a few minutes on the game, the challenge of beating your opponent and finding the solutions distracts your mind from the mundane routine of life. Moreover, it keeps your brain active, and you feel recharged, refreshed, and energetic after playing sudoku.
Conclusion
Apart from these top 5 mental benefits of solving the sudoku puzzle, there are various other benefits of playing the game. Some of these benefits include the development of quick-thinking skills, a sense of accomplishment, reducing overthinking, minimizing negative impacts of dementia, and more. The more you engage in such puzzle games, the better your brain functions. Challenging your brain will help you stay cognitively sharp and engaged. Try out the sudoku puzzles on MPL and find out the benefits for yourself.
