We either know someone or are guilty of this ourselves; sitting at a desk, you hit a wall and decide to bide your time with the occasional brain teaser. This daily mini-break is even more common now with facebook and its plethora of social games. For the most part you could get yourself in a bit of hot water if you spent your entire day playing games, but that doesn’t mean that these games don’t pose any benefits either. Taking a few minutes out of your day to indulge in problem solving games can be very beneficial for your concentration, reasoning skills and mental fatigue, regardless of your age.
Benefits of Brain teasers
I’m sure most of you are aware that brain teasers can keep you sharp, but the benefits run far deeper. Studies have shown that stimulating your brain through leisure activities can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and help you lead longer and happier lives. One study states that “the benefits of the brain exercises extended well beyond the specific skills the volunteers learned…“. Much like muscles, our brain requires exercises if we want it to improve, so don’t be afraid to squeeze a few exercises into your daily routine.
The Link to Literacy
So you might be asking yourself, “how does this all relate to literacy?” Well, literacy requires understanding information as well as communicating it, which is why deductive and thinking skills go hand in hand with literacy. Memorizing information is different from understanding it, and authenticity in communication comes from a speaker’s knowledge of the content. Therefore, retrieving information, decision making and problem solving are all key components in bolstering a set of literacy skills.
A Final Thought
Everything we do needs moderation, to find a perfect balance. Think of puzzle games as a daily workout. If you wanted to maintain a physically fit lifestyle, you’d catch a quick jog or workout in the morning. You wouldn’t constantly postpone your activities and you wouldn’t workout all day either. This is true for casual mental activities as well. A brain teaser here and there can keep you alert for the rest of the day, but you shouldn’t try to justify spending hours at a time either. Find your balance and you’ll always be ready for whatever your day holds.
xoxox
Rita
Tags: brain, crossword, facebook, literacy, puzzle, Skills, sudoku, teaser, thinking
