Consumption

Board games and puzzles are great, especially to help you forget everything and just have fun in during challenging times. But did you know that they also relieve stress?

"Playing board games and making puzzles can do a lot for the development of your social, cognitive and emotional skills. Enjoying a game is a great way to relax and let go of the stress of the day. Because playing a game or doing a puzzle requires concentrated attention, that focus prevents you from thinking about other, less pleasant or stressful things," says Theo Compernolle, expert in stress and the human brain, to news outlet Flair.

Playing a game requires more of your senses than tapping on a screen or sitting behind your computer and those sensory experiences give us a good feeling. You also spend much more conscious and attentive time with people which enhances a richer and deeper form of connection.

An additional major advantage is that playing games also transcends through generations. From grandchild to grandpa, playing together brings about a feeling of safety. There can also be almost no conflicts because every game has its rules that everyone must adhere to.

When you play a tactical board game or a complex puzzle, you have to develop a strategy, take steps and take into account your opponents steps. This cognitive development is at odds with the simple but sometimes addictive games on your smart device.

So there are plenty of reasons to get those puzzles out and dust off those Monopoly or other games in the attic.

(MH with Skwadra by Tagtik/Source: Flair/Picture: Unsplash)