I recently stumbled upon an article about chess and mental health and found it very interesting. After all, the brain is the most crucial organ in the body since it’s responsible for our mental performance. People with strong minds have richer and more fulfilling lives. No matter whether you are 75 or 25, chess can help improve your mental health. Of course, you and your opponent have the same goal, to win! The following is how chess can help in improving mental health.
It promotes the growth of dendrites
Dendrites are responsible in conducting signals from neuron cells in the brain. Playing Chess stimulates the growth of dendrites which in turn improves neural communication throughout the brain.
It exercises both sides of the brain
For you to win the game, you will need to determine how you can effectively utilize opportunities that are at your disposal. Such knowledge will help you know how you can effectively cope with the unknown future.
I recently started learning chess because learning such a strategic game is very good to help you develop both the left and the right sides of the brain. I believe in left/right brain imbalances, especially with differences between men and women so anything that can help me get a good brain workout is on my list of things to do!
The left hemisphere is responsible for object recognition while the right hemisphere is responsible for pattern recognition. Of course, for good measure I also play on a few chess servers, for some extra brain exercising.
It lowers the risk of depression and anxiety
If your depression is caused by life worries, it’s a good idea to take on a challenge that requires intense focus such as playing chess. The game will help in clearing your mind which in turn will lower your depression and anxiety.
It helps in the treatment of Schizophrenia
When playing Chess, each step taken is at risk. This is why making moves requires a great deal of thinking to avoid falling into a trap of the opponent. Through increased attention, Chess can help Schizophrenia patients improve their planning and reasoning abilities. The game can also help in stimulating the cognitive areas of the brain which are the short term memory and the long term memory.
Fortunately, I’m able to learn and play the game for it’s benefits only as I do not struggle with any of the illnesses above, and if you are, certainly try and bring healthy activities such as chess into your life but also remember to consult with your doctor and be sure to take care of yourself.
Anna Leake is a health blogger that focuses on topics related to nutrition, fitness, and mental health. She was born in New York City but at age 6 moved to the Midwest where she spent her childhood exploring nature with friends and family. Anna graduated from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with degrees in psychology & human development.
