Dear Stoics,
Do you happen to know a gentleman named Ernő Rubik? His last name should ring a bell. Exactly, he’s the one who invented the famous Rubik’s Cube. He once said that our whole life is solving puzzles. We think he was onto something; let’s discuss!
Puzzles and your brain: the basic stuff
It probably won’t surprise you to hear that activities like jigsaws, crosswords, and other problem-solving games are great for your brain. They sharpen focus, support cognitive function, and help with memory and attention. By the way, the same is true for video games, so there’s your guilt-free excuse for a break if anyone asks.
But here’s the more interesting question for us: can puzzles be good for your mental health? As it turns out, very much so.
Puzzles and your nervous system
When you sit down with a puzzle, whether it’s a jigsaw, a crossword, or a logic problem, you put your attention into colours, shapes, and patterns. For a moment, nothing else exists. You enter what psychologists call a flow state: a calm, deeply focused mode where everyday stress disappears.
There’s some science behind it: puzzle solving triggers dopamine release, which lifts your mood and eases anxiety. Your breathing slows, and your muscles loosen up. You stop checking your phone, so there’s no daily noise and other triggers that harm your brain. This uninterrupted focus and quiet resets your nervous system in the most enjoyable way.
Sure, puzzles won’t replace therapy or other mental health support. But they can be a helpful addition to them. Think of it as a healthy way to process emotions and find some peace in the middle of a stressful day.
Puzzles and other good news
That’s pretty obvious, but puzzles also make you more creative. Working through a tricky problem teaches your brain to approach things from different angles, and with time, that habit moves into other areas of life, too.
Putting in the last piece of a puzzle gives you a real sense of accomplishment. It’s a small but satisfying proof that you stuck with something and finished it. And that feeling does wonders for your self-esteem and general mental well-being.
There’s also an extra bonus if you do them with other people, because puzzles bring people together. Conversation flows more easily when your hands are busy, and there’s a shared goal on the table. A perfect bonding exercise, if you ask us.
One more thing worth mentioning: research suggests that regularly solving puzzles helps your brain age more slowly. To paraphrase the classic: one puzzle a day keeps dementia away. That’s a pretty compelling reason to keep a box of puzzles on your coffee table.
If none of this convinced you to do some mental gymnastics, we’re not sure what will. But there is something important you need to keep in mind - if jigsaw puzzles make you want to flip the table rather than relax, that’s totally fine. Nothing works for everyone. Because at the end of the day, puzzles are fun. And that’s more than enough!
Yours truly,
The Stoic App Team
P.S. If you or someone you know deals with ADHD symptoms, puzzles are especially worth trying. The structured and rewarding nature of puzzle-solving is a really good match for a neurodivergent brain.
Some sources worth checking out:
A good puzzle, it’s a fair thing. Nobody is lying. It’s very clear, and the problem depends just on you.
Erno Rubik
We often misread people, situations, and sometimes even ourselves, believing something firmly about who we are or what we want, only to discover later it wasn’t true.
This week, we’re exploring this thought-provoking subject: the things that got misunderstood and lost somewhere along the way, and what happened when we finally saw them more clearly.
Every day until Sunday, you’ll find a new prompt in the app on this subject. So, don’t forget to open the app and reflect with Stoic!
