A game of chess can turn any dull day into an invigorating and fun-filled one. The game not only engages but also makes sure you put your thinking cap on and provide the much-needed workout to your brain. Especially if age is not on your side, and you have reached a phase where your brain needs constant stimulation, chess is the perfect game to play to avoid age-related brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease. In fact, the Game of Kings, is much recommended for children and teenagers as it can help improve memory function, creativity, problem solving abilities all of which are important skills in today's time and age. The much-popular board game made its debut in India around 6th century CE and soon reached other parts of Asia, Middle East and Europe.
Playing the game regularly not only works wonders for your brain but also your mental health. Playing chess can act as a bonding activity and a chance to connect with people. It also requires your undivided attention and can prove to be a mindfulness exercise. Chess helps in reducing stress and playing the game also releases happy hormones.
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Dr. Neha Kapoor - Associate Director & Head-Neurology, Asian Hospital Faridabad on the occasion of International Chess Day (July 20), shares how the game can help improve cognitive abilities and boost overall well-being.
1. Improves memory
Playing chess can help you remember things better as while playing the game a player has to remember openings, strategies, and past moves, all the while anticipating future moves and planning. This mental exercise serves as a fantastic workout for the brain, enhancing both short-term and long-term memory. Regular chess practice can improve your ability to recall information, which prove to be beneficial in many aspects of life, such as academic pursuits and professional endeavours.
Chess is renowned for its ability to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. When playing chess, individuals must analyse the game’s current state, anticipate their opponent's moves, and devise effective strategies to outmanoeuvre them. This constant mental engagement strengthens one's ability to think critically, assess situations, and make informed decisions. These skills are transferable to real-life scenarios, helping individuals become better problem solvers in various domains.
3. Concentration and focus
Chess demands unwavering concentration and focus throughout the entire game. With numerous pieces on a board and countless possibilities at each turn, players must maintain their attention and avoid distractions. Regular chess practice can significantly improve concentration levels, making it easier to stay focused on tasks and goals in other areas of life. Enhanced concentration can also contribute to improved productivity and performance, whether at work, school, or personal projects.
4. Emotional intelligence
Chess is a game that teaches emotional intelligence and resilience. During a game, players experience a range of emotions, including excitement, frustration, and disappointment. Learning to manage these emotions and remaining composed under pressure is a valuable life skill that chess can help develop. By honing emotional intelligence, players can better cope with challenges and setbacks, both on and off the chessboard.
5. Stress relief and mental well-being
Engaging in chess can provide a welcome escape from the stresses of daily life. The intense focus required during a game diverts attention away from worries and anxieties, allowing players to experience a state of flow and relaxation. Chess has also been found to reduce stress levels and promote mental well-being by stimulating the production of dopamine and endorphins, the brain's 'feel-good' chemicals. Additionally, chess can serve as a social activity, fostering connections and providing a sense of community among players.
6. Brain health and longevity
Research suggests that chess can have positive effects on brain health and contribute to cognitive longevity. Regular chess players have been found to exhibit higher brain activity and improved brain function compared to non-players. Chess engages multiple cognitive domains simultaneously, exercising memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and visualization skills. This mental workout may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
News/Lifestyle/Health/ International Chess Day 2023: How playing chess can boost your memory and mental health
“Having to remember the complex rules of chess while making moves and recalling previous mistakes or the opponent's playing style, chess can help improve memory. Those who excel at chess possess good memory skills.
Chess engages multiple cognitive domains simultaneously, exercising memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and visualization skills. This mental workout may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
There are so many benefits to chess, which includes exercise, social interaction, and mental stimulation. These are all things that you should consider when you want to improve your health. Chess is just one of many different ways to get your body moving in many different ways.
Chess can be an emotionally intense game, and managing emotions is crucial for clear thinking. By learning to control emotions such as anger, frustration, or overconfidence, you can maintain focus and make rational decisions.
Additionally, chess has been known to manage Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Kids with ADHD who play chess are able to concentrate better and think more clearly. Chess has even been known to help people with neurodegenerative conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer's.
All six areas of the brain are put to work when playing a game of chess. These are short-term memory, long-term memory, critical thinking and analysis, linguistic analysis and processing, visual-spatial processing and the assessment of outcomes, risks and effects.
Here are some other benefits of learning chess: Improves cognitive skills (including concentration, pattern recognition, decision making, algebraic and geometric thinking, problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking) Improves self-confidence and self-worth. Increases attention span.
Does Chess Help in Real Life? Chess, in many ways, is like food for your brain. It can enhance your concentration levels and develop memory, intuition, and creativity. It can also aid in sharpening the skill of extracting valuable information from a set of given principles.
Through chess, we learn how to analyze a situation by focusing on important factors and by eliminating distractions. We learn to devise creative solutions and put a plan into action. Learning how to use creative thinking skills in real-world scenarios helps students become better problem solvers in their everyday life.
It is played by two opponents on a checkered board with specially designed pieces of contrasting colours, commonly white and black. The objective of the game is to capture the opponent's king.
But it can be a healthy choice for some because chess enhances concentration and memory, improves mental agility, and promotes creative thinking. However, it's important to note that playing chess for hours a day may cause fatigue and reduced attention span.
My therapist had often told me: you need to find ways to tune into more of your emotions, not just anxiety but the rest of the “big four”; joy, sadness, and anger. Chess is an extremely fast route to experiencing them all – often within the course of a few moves.
It is somewhat true that the more intelligent kids tend to gravitate towards chess. But modern research has shown that it does not matter if a child has been previously exposed to chess, and only four months of chess training can significantly increase their overall IQ.
Obviously he is not. Nevertheless, to become overly obsessed with chess may be a cause of mental illness. Carlsen has said that he has a life apart from chess, so that his mental sanity may not be adversely affected as it happened with Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer.
Through chess, we learn how to analyze a situation by focusing on important factors and by eliminating distractions. We learn to devise creative solutions and put a plan into action. Learning how to use creative thinking skills in real-world scenarios helps students become better problem solvers in their everyday life.
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