5 Amazing Health Benefits of Crossword Puzzles for Dementia Patients
by Aaina Bajaj
The solution often turns out more beautiful than the puzzle
Perfectly quoted by Richard Dawkins, crossword puzzles are much more than a boredom buster.
The recent studies stated that more than 17,000 healthy people, aged 50 and older in the U.S. solved crossword games and word puzzles. Surprisingly, the more often they did crossword puzzles, the higher they scored on memory tests, attention, and reasoning.
These crossword puzzles have benefits that have reach beyond the brain. However, for older people with cognitive stimulation, solving crossword puzzles have proved very useful.
And the positive side is studies found that 75 out of 100 older people enjoy playing such mental games. So, now you can imagine why doctors recommend crossword puzzles to people having dementia and another brain-related illness.
Let’s dig into the health benefits that these crossword puzzles offer to Dementia patients:
##1 Helps in Relieving Stress
Most of the people tend to think 60 as being a stress-free time of their age. Well, it may be true for some.
But, many people face a number of stresses in their old-age as well. Either it is regarding their financial situation, social dealings or the medical challenges that come along their way.
With everything going in their head, they need some time and space to relax. Apart from breathing exercises, free crossword puzzle games can benefit them too.
Just imagine, the amount of concentration and dedication that they would put to complete the online crossword puzzle; this, in turn, will help them in shutting the noises humming in their heads.
Many studies state that taking these little breaks from the real world would help them feel calmer and happier. By solving the easy crossword puzzles, they are building their mental reserves to handle the stresses that come along their way.
##2 Offers a Nostalgia Boost
According to the dementia curing experts, when it comes to maintaining a healthy brain, nostalgia is one of the most powerful forces that keep it going.
Do you know if you connect with our past, you strengthen your neural connections? And in return, it boost your happiness.
Words are convincing and powerful. When people with dementia work on free crossword puzzle games online, they tend to go back in time, think about the event or person associated with that particular word, which helps them in retaining a memory that is good for their health.
For an influential memory boost, they can even write down the memories popping into their head while working on the crossword puzzle, which will then benefit in remembering the fun and good times connected to that memory.
One such platform for playing online word puzzles is Wealth Words, which has numerous crossword puzzles and to motivate playing it has attractive cash prizes.
##3 Keeps the Brain Sharp
One of the biggest advantages of doing crossword puzzles is that they help you in building your vocabulary. And the mental benefits of working on crossword puzzles go beyond this.
The recent survey by The University of California at Berkley showed that the people who are more engaged in brain activities, such as working on crossword puzzles, have a more stronger aging brain than others. Along with that, it prevents or slower the deposition of beta-amyloid, possibly controlling the onset and progression of Dementia.
Thus, the leisurely stimulation offered by crossword puzzles to the mind is helpful for patients with Dementia.
##4 Therapeutic Meditation
Since crossword puzzle games require concentration, it demands the use of both sides of the brain. When a person reaches this state of mind, it helps in keeping the mind calm and content.
Hence, dementia patients can work on word puzzles if they feel agitated or restless. Playing crossword puzzles can help them in relaxing and altering their mood.
##5 Feel-good chemicals
Completing a particular crossword puzzle entirely by oneself can boost their confidence, and the best part is it helps in releasing dopamine in the brain.
Wondering what dopamine is?
It is a chemical that makes a person feel good. Its effects can be felt when we achieve a goal, solve a problem or complete a project.
Dopamine has many other added benefits for dementia patients such as improving concentration, motor skills, remaining optimistic, boosting confidence and recollection – all these are beneficial for those with memory loss!
Conclusion
Do you have parents, relatives or friends suffering from Dementia? Encourage them to indulge in various fun-mind activities, indulge with them and don’t let them feel lonely.
They will be more than happy and will recover soon.
Aaina Bajaj is a content marketer who is currently working for Wealth Words. The line that describes her the best is, “A writer in the day and a reader in the night.” She is an enthusiast who wants to motivate people to live a happy and stressful life. And she finds crosswords is the best way to stay focused!
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect all or some of our beliefs and policy. Any links on this page does not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.
About The Author
It never occurred to me that crossword puzzles can help build a person’s reserves in handling stress. Well, you also made a pretty good point that this type of game is good for people with dementia because this will force them to think about past events. Well, maybe a crossword puzzle will be an excellent present for my grandfather because this will help enhance his memory.