Stress is everywhere. It’s become an almost inescapable part of everyday life. With that being said, it’s crucial to find ways to let off some steam and relax. Of course, there are traditional methods like meditation and exercise, but there are much more entertaining methods as well. One of those being word games.
They have surprising benefits on your cognitive and emotional health that can really help you destress. So, what makes them so effective? Well in this article we’ll take a look at the power behind these games.
Stress and Its Impact
Before we get into how word games can help relieve stress, let’s talk about stress itself and what it does to our mental health. In short, stress is our body’s way of responding to threats or challenges which in turn causes a series of physiological reactions that helps us deal with them better. However, chronic stress is no good for anyone’s physical or mental health. It can cause anxiety, depression cardiovascular disease, and numerous other problems.
How Word Games Help Relieve Stress
Here are a few ways that playing word games helps:
1. Distraction: By occupying your mind with puzzles you’re able to forget about the troubles of everyday life for a little bit.
2. Cognitive Engagements: These games engage your brain by making it work harder than usual which stimulates neural pathways that produce pleasure and relaxation.
3. Achievement: There’s nothing quite like solving complex problems or overcoming challenges and achieving something great from it.
4. Social Connection: Though many play these games alone they can also be enjoyed with others either in person or online.
Mindfulness
Engaging in word games can help foster mindfulness by demanding your full attention on the current moment. It doesn’t matter if you’re thinking about which letter combinations will work best in Scrabble or filling in crossword puzzle clues with the utmost precision, players often find themselves in a state of flow that completely absorbs them into their task.
This type of immersive experience can promote relaxation and soothe stress-induced symptoms such as restlessness or racing thoughts. It’s similar to the effects of meditating.
Scientific Evidence Backing These Benefits
The calming benefits of playing word games have scientific research to back it up. Many different studies have examined how engaging in these activities affects cognitive thinking and emotional well-being, and the results all point towards positive therapeutic value:
Cognitive Enhancement: Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that doing things like playing word games was associated with better cognitive function, lower risk of old-age cognitive decline, improvements to memory, attention, and executive functions.
Stress Reduction: A study done by University of Sussex researchers showed that completing puzzles (crosswords and Sudoku) drastically reduced levels of self-reported stress among participants. They also observed a decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) levels as well as an increase in self-reported feelings of calmness and relaxation after each puzzle-solving session.
Mood Enhancement: A separate study published in the British Journal of Psychology discovered that individuals who played word games reported higher levels of good mood and emotional well-being than those who don’t play them at all. After subjects had completed puzzles they felt happier overall — as opposed to when they felt down before starting out! Researchers believe that this could be connected to mood regulation and stress management.
How to Incorporate Word Games Into Your Routine
If you’re looking for simple ways to manage daily stress while promoting good mental health then integrating word games into your routine is a no-brainer! Here are some tips for making it happen:
Make Time For It: Set a specific time during the day where you can play word games. Whether it’s during lunch, before bed, or on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is as long as you’re consistent with it.
Try Different Games: Don’t just limit yourself to one type of word game. Experiment with crosswords, word searches, anagrams, and classics like Scrabble to challenge different cognitive skills and keep things interesting!
Play With Others: Ask friends or family members if they’d like to join you for some puzzle-solving fun. You can gather around a physical board game or connect online for a virtual session — either way sharing the experience with loved ones will boost your overall enjoyment and help strengthen social bonds.
Stay Present: When you sit down to play word games be sure that you have a mindful attitude going into it. Focus on the present moment rather than thinking about all the other things that are happening simultaneously in your life. Minimize any distractions that could interfere with your concentration and really take in every single clue or move.
Celebrate Successes: Every time you complete a puzzle or get an impressively high score don’t forget to acknowledge yourself for it! Recognizing how far you’ve come will help reinforce positive thinking patterns and boost self-confidence!
Read More: Word Games for Mindfulness: How to Relax in a Busy World
Conclusion
Playing word games to relieve stress can be a fun and effective way to promote mental well-being. These activities distract us from our daily problems, engage our cognitive functions, help us socialize, and give us a sense of accomplishment.
For example, crosswords have been found to reduce anxiety levels in adults. Another study found that participants who completed a crossword every day performed better on tasks related to attention span than those who didn’t.
Word games can also help people overcome social anxiety by providing an easy topic of conversation in group settings.
On top of all that, word games simply provide a good distraction when we need it most.
It’s no wonder then that the therapeutic benefits of these activities have been well-documented. In addition to being linked with improved cognitive function in older adults, one study discovered that they even increased the production of endorphins.
So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, try reaching for some word puzzles instead of your usual vices. By incorporating them into your routine and approaching them mindfully with intent you’ll be able to combat stress head-on. And besides… Who doesn’t love a good game of Scrabble?
