Even if you haven’t yet succumbed to playing Wordle, you’ve probably seen the distinctive green, yellow, and white blocks popping up in your social feeds. And, in more recent weeks, you’ve likely read about the New York Times’ acquisition of the popular word game.
If you’re yet to play the game, the rules are simple. Every day there’s a new five-letter word and you have to guess, or work out, what it is.
You’re given six chances to win. Each letter you guess right gets a yellow square. If it’s also in the correct place, you get a green square. All other letters get a grey square.
While it may sound simple, it’s actually harder than it first appears. And, experts say, playing brain-taxing games like this are a great way to exercise your brain and benefit your cognitive health. Even better, playing provides a positive mood boost too.
4 ways a daily game of Wordle is good for you
1. Increases focus, concentration, and short-term memory
A study from 2019 found that adults over 50 who frequently engaged in word games performed better at tasks that required the use of their memory, reasoning, and attention skills.
Playing word games like Wordle, requires you to concentrate and maintain a high degree of attention. Because the game requires you to unlock its secrets, winning relies on your ability to remain focused to the end.
Focusing your attention on solving a puzzle strengthens connections between brain cells, improves mental speed, and can be an effective way to improve your short-term memory.
No matter how hard the game might become, you’ll always feel refreshed and invigorated once you complete it successfully. The more difficult the word or puzzle, the more concentration is needed to crack it, and the better you’ll feel when you win.
2. Keeps you sharp
Playing Wordle, and similar logic puzzles, exercise your brain.
Crossword puzzles, riddles, word searches, and sudoku all activate different parts of your brain and help you hone your critical and analytical thinking skills.
According to research, older adults who regularly play word and number puzzles have sharper mental capacity. The more often people played, the better their brain function.
Studies have also shown that doing crossword puzzles could reduce the onset of dementia by up to two and a half years.
While they may not have the power to prevent dementia entirely, playing mentally stimulating games or solving brain puzzles regularly, while also eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise, could add up to being highly beneficial for your long-term brain health.
3. Makes you feel good
When you solve a puzzle, or even sections of a puzzle, your brain produces the feel-good hormone dopamine. Each time you win or make progress towards reaching the solution, you increase the production of dopamine.
This vital chemical regulates your mood, memory, and concentration. Every success (or green Wordle square) will deliver another hit of dopamine.
Many Wordle converts keep playing because dopamine creates feelings of pleasure and reward. This motivates them to keep on playing and to play again the next day.
4. Helps you relax
Playing Wordle or doing a crossword helps you to relax and de-stress. Because of the focused concentration playing requires, your mind stops working on your day-to-day problems and can provide similar benefits to meditation.
While you are focused on solving the puzzle in front of you, the stress of everyday life disappears, replaced by a sense of inner calm that can help lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
Your brain will thank you for playing around
Next time you’re fiddling with your phone and looking for entertainment, turn to Wordle.
Your brain will be grateful for the stimulation and the diverting activity will help you be your mental best now and could help protect you against future cognitive decline.
