Acquiring a regular puzzle habit (if you haven’t already) isn’t just good fun, it could do wonders for the grey matter. Regularly stimulating our neural pathways is thought to keep them working effectively – essentially, the theory of ‘use it or lose it’.

Some observational studies have shown that challenging your mind with puzzles and other brain games might help reduce the risk of cognitive decline as you age. Giving the brain a thorough, regular workout with a puzzle or two could:

·       Increase spatial and visual awareness: something as simple as finding the right piece and slotting into your jigsaw uses your visual and spatial reasoning skills.

·        Reduce anxiety and improve mood: getting absorbed in something that demands you whole concentration is great for taking your mind off day to day worries and stresses. And any pastime that you enjoy will give you a nice surge of dopamine to lift your mood.

·        Engage both hemispheres of the brain: problem solving often requires a mixture of critical thinking and creativity, meaning the left and right sides of the brain are both getting a good workout.

·         Improve your memory: lots of games, like playing cards for example, require engaging your memory to keep track of what’s going on. Plus, the overall neural stimulation is great for helping to maintain your short-term memory.

The most important thing is to find the puzzles and games you really love doing. Personally, I find that a cryptic crossword is guaranteed to send my anxiety through the roof, and my mood in the opposite direction. Whereas, a quiet afternoon with a cuppa and a 1000-piece jigsaw is my idea of mindful heaven. It’s horses for courses. Whether it’s chess, sudoku, crosswords, wordsearches, bridge, dominoes, a digital brain training game or a good old Rubik’s cube (yes, they’re still around), there may be a variety of benefits to getting stuck into a good puzzle.

So if you fancy a mental workout, why not dig a few games out of the loft, treat yourself to a puzzle book or try one of the many free brain training apps out there. You might just feel better for it!

And if you’re over 50 years old and want to contribute to further UK research into the link between puzzles, the aging brain and dementia, check out the PROTECT study which is being run by the University of Exeter and Kings College London, in partnership with the NHS.