Puzzles found in magazines, online, or newspapers—like crosswords, word searches, Sudoku, and logic puzzles—can be very helpful for people recovering from a brain injury like Stroke or TBI. They assist by engaging cognitive functions, vastly improving memory, and heightening problem-solving skills. Here are the reasons why:
Crosswords helps with vocabulary, word retrieval, and problem-solving.
Word Searches immobilizes visual scrutiny and pattern recognition.
Sudoku amplifies logical reasoning and concentration.
Picture Puzzles coach visual memory and attention.
Mazes assist with spatial reasoning and problem-solving.
Overall, any kind of puzzle:
Improves focus and attention
- Puzzles train the brain to override distractions and concentrate on a single thing.
- They require complete attention, which is often debilitated after a brain injury.
Gives a boost to memory and recall
- Word-based puzzles like crosswords and word searches compel the brain to retrieve stored information, strengthening memory.
- Repeating helps memory’s roundabout journey reconnect, improving name recall and retention of the facts.
Strengthens language and word retrieval
- Crosswords and word puzzles force the brain to retrieve words, strengthening language pathways.
- Many people with brain injuries have difficulty detecting words which could mean aphasia or even slow recall.
Rebuilds problem-solving and reasoning skills
- Logic-based puzzles like Sudoku, riddles, and matching patterns acquires critical thinking skills that may have been impeded by the brain injury.
- The puzzles influence the brain to analyze, suggest, and adapt which is useful for day-by-day decisions.
Boosts mood and confidence
- Finishing a puzzle provides a sense of self-worth and fulfillment.
- Brain injuries can lead to irritation and eventually anger, but puzzles offer a configured way to regain lacking skills in a comfortable manner.
Reduces mental exhaustion and constructs endurance
- Puzzles train the brain slowly without overpowering it.
- They improve mental awareness, so you can stay focused for longer.
As Marilyn vos Savant, a retired American magazine columnist with Ask Marilyn who had the highest recorded intelligence quotient (IQ) in the Guinness Book of Records at IQ of 228, said, “People who work crossword puzzles [or any puzzle, for that matter] know that if they stop making progress, they should put the puzzle down for a while.”
