Whoever said flexing your cranium can’t be fun obviously has never discovered the joy of solving puzzles. Puzzles, whether they are trivia, mathematical, or linguistic puzzles, can help people worldwide stave off mental deterioration as they age. The concentration and brain activity required to focus on and solve a puzzle keeps the mind occupied and the synapses firing, which is equivalent to mental push-ups or intense cardio activity for the noggin. Just as regular exercise keeps the body physically healthy, regular mental activity, such as puzzle-solving, keeps the brain healthy as well.
Mental deterioration is most prevalent in the elderly. It is commonly seen in the form of senile dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s Disease and symptoms like confusion, memory loss, and frequent mood swings. As the person afflicted with mental deterioration ages, the symptoms worsen and can reach a point where he or she will not even be able to recall the names and faces of loved ones. More than 7,500 people suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease in the U.S. alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 72,432 deaths have been caused by the disease and unfortunately, there is not a cure for the condition. That is why preventing – or in the very least, delaying – the development or progression of mental deterioration is critical.
Young adults can ensure that their future is a bright and healthy one by making it a habit to regularly exercise their brains. Discovering the joy of puzzle-solving is one of the easiest ways to develop a healthy mind-flexing habit. Daily activities, like puzzle-solving and in-depth socializing, delay the onset of memory loss, as participating in these actions helps to build up your memory bank. Much like doing arm curls to tone up your biceps, doing puzzles tones up your memory banks, ensuring that they function well and efficiently as you age. A study conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York found that people between the ages of 75 and 85 who participated in more activities every day were much more likely to offset dementia than people who participated in fewer activities. This discovery is monumental, as it actually adds a quantitative value to delaying mental deterioration: the more activities you participate in to keep your brain busy, the more time you will delay dementia.
All of this means that you should finish your crosswords and Sudoku puzzles with pride as those very puzzles may save you in the future from mental deterioration.
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