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By Terry Solomon
Negative issues are usually associated with addiction. Drug
abuse, excessive drinking, and even too much gambling are all
negative activities that are highly addictive. But if there is
one kind of addiction that is actually beneficial for adults
and kids alike, it would be an addiction to sudoku puzzles.
Researchers rank solving sudoku puzzles daily among the top
ten
non-traditional and alternative ways to boosts brain power.
Other brain boosting moves include high-protein diets,
listening to classical music, and lots of rest. These are
simple but are rather difficult to follow because of budget
limitations, personal preferences, and lifestyle. This is the
advantage sudoku games holds over other brain boosters. They
are accessible from newspapers, books, and even the Internet.
They are also workable between breaks or at any spare time. So
every time someone chastises you for doing sudoku again,
kindly
explain and hope that they pick up the habit too.
Though sudoku puzzles are not mathematical problems, solving
the puzzles requires the most basic tool of mathematics and
science: logic. Since the puzzles entail the use of logic,
common sense, and concentration, the brain is put out of the
stupor of doing routine, mundane tasks. In other words, your
brain actually gets a break and a good work-out. Studies
reveal
that the more the brain uses its skills, the better it works.
Brains that get more exercise are determined to be more
active,
and its cells are healthier. Researchers even associate sudoku
brain exercises to physical exercise. They stress that just as
physical exercise keeps muscle loss at bay, sudoku exercise
keeps brain cells from dying and also encourages better brain
function. Education is important, but studies actually show
that students who do mental workouts like sudoku have higher
IQs than students who do not. This only shows that doses of
sudoku are more than just ways to pass time. They actually
help
in improving your ability to comprehend more complex ideas.
Ian Robertson, a neuroscientist, facilitated a research among
the elderly with the premise that decreased mental ability is
not inevitable with the right stimulation. The research
included two groups of elderly people: the first group solved
sudoku puzzles as part of their routine, while the second did
not. After some time, their IQ levels were tested and compared
to their test results before the experiment. The
sudoku-solving
group was found to have increased their mental abilities by a
significant percentage while the other group showed no change.
Dr. Robertson cited a similar research wherein 3,000 people,
aged 65-94, were found to have increased their mental
capabilities and age by as much as 14 years, just by ten
sessions of brain boosting exercise like sudoku.
Other experts agree with these findings, saying that solving
challenging mind games like sudoku puzzles inhibit or prevent
the development of Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Health
trends also show that adults with demanding, and
intellectually
challenging jobs benefit from better mental function when they
age. Sudoku functions just like these jobs because it requires
brain exertions.
As it is, experts advise adults to encourage children to solve
puzzles like sudoku to start mental improvement earlier in
life. Sudoku exercises are actually adopted by some schools to
stimulate thinking and foster better academic performance of
their students. So instead of letting kids watch TV, or read
comics, hand them sudoku puzzles. Then, both you and your kids
can defend your love of sudoku to those poor souls who do not
understand the beauty, joy, and benefits of solving it.
About The Author: For more valuable information on sudoku
puzzles please visit www.sudoku-puzzles.com
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