Welcome back to the blog, now I reckon you’re probably a puzzle fan if you’re here, but did you know jigsaw puzzles are also beneficial for your mental health?
How Can Jigsaw Puzzles Help Your Mental Health?
It’s very easy in this day and age to fall into the trap of what I call “workaholism”. With home working more commonplace, flexibility is both a blessing and a curse – you’re able to get jobs done at home which you would ordinarily leave until your days off, allowing you to enjoy them more, but at the same time, there’s less of a disconnect between home and work, meaning you may not find it as easy to switch off in the hours when you aren’t working.
Before starting at AJP, I wasn’t a puzzler (shock horror!) – I have lots of other hobbies, and me and jigsaw puzzles didn’t really cross paths until I joined the marketing team here. Now, one day when I was in the office – I was on my lunch break sat scrolling mindlessly through social media like I usually did, faced with a bit of a quandary; by closing my laptop and switching straight to my phone, I didn’t give my eyes any time to rest from the screen and this was giving me a bit of a headache. Lucky for me I work for a puzzle factory (unfortunately, we don’t all have the privilege) so I thought I’d have a crack at a puzzle. By getting away from the screen and focusing my mind on puzzling, I found my worries melting away and I was able to get back to work with a fresh mindset in the afternoon!
I understand we don’t all have the privilege of being able to puzzle away our lunch hours, but this can be applied to any bit of spare time we have – getting home from the daily commute or after finishing work at home, weekends, evenings, days off – if you’ve got time to spare, you’ve got time to puzzle! Take a look at our range of jigsaw puzzle accessories here to help you get puzzling – including specialised storage devices and our wooden jigsaw puzzle table if you’re worried about taking up space on the dining room table!
Self-care and mindfulness are terms we hear a lot nowadays, and it’s true that it’s really important to take some time for yourself and get away from the daily stresses and anxieties of 21st Century living. We often spend far too long looking at screens, it's good to enjoy film and television or catch up with friends through social media in moderation, however, it’s easy to get caught up in bad news stories and carry the weight of the world's problems on your shoulders. It's very beneficial for your mental health step back and enjoy the things around you.
Jigsaw Puzzles Are Great For Brain Training
Puzzles are a fantastic way to work the brain as well as relax. Sorting the pieces, finding them and putting them together are all reasons why jigsaw puzzles are a very beneficial cognitive activity. The more puzzles you do, the more your brain will be able to tackle the challenge and it can help with other challenges in life.
Jigsaw Puzzles Can Help With Dementia
In the UK, one person develops dementia every three minutes. Jigsaw puzzles are a wonderful pastime for those who suffer with Dementia as they are an excellent way to focus the mind and help maintain fine motor skills. Putting the pieces in place helps to maintain hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Puzzles come in many sizes, extra-large pieces can be easier to handle and pick up.
World Mental Health Day
10th October is World Mental Health Day, so I thought this week was an excellent opportunity to talk about the many benefits puzzling can have for your mental health. If you’re struggling with your mental health, don’t suffer in silence, there are many ways to find support:
- Talk to someone – a relative, friend, colleague or any other trusted confidant can help you talk through your issues and work out next steps.
- Talk to your GP – the NHS have a free talking therapy service in England, click here to be redirected to the NHS website. If you’re in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, talk to your GP first.
- Get support from a charity or other organisation – Mental Health Matters has a list of helpful resources you can find here, Mind has a fantastic website to find out more information, you can find their helplines here.
Here at All Jigsaw Puzzles, we have 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles from a whole range of jigsaw puzzle suppliers, from Ravensburger jigsaws, Jumbo Jigsaw Puzzles and Gibsons jigsaw puzzles too! Find your next jigsaw puzzle on our website!