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Piecing together mental fitness isn’t what it used to be…

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Thinking back, we can all remember the fun and challenge an old-school jigsaw puzzle would provide to us. It’s something that could be enjoyed at any age, and whether killing time solo on a rainy Sunday afternoon, or participating in a Friday family game night, puzzles never failed to be fun, and also mentally stimulating.

Back then, beyond some enjoyable leisure time, we probably didn’t think about the true benefits of such challenging puzzles. They can actually help the brain stay healthy as you age, preventing or delaying dementia, and helping you to avoid memory loss. Research shows that when people keep their minds active by partaking in activities such as tricky puzzles, their thinking skills are less likely to decline. This is truly a spark of hope in a rather bleak area of health research; when we look at averages for the U.S., more than 20% of the population over 85 suffers from some form of dementia.1 However, studies addressing what can improve such stats, as far as mental exercises go, have become plentiful in recent years.

One notable study of the bunch involved more than 2,800 adults age 65 and older. They attended up to 10 brain-training sessions for five to six weeks. Participants showed marked improvements in memory, reasoning, and speed of processing information that lasted for at least five years. They also improved at everyday tasks, such as the ability to manage money or complete housework.2

When you keep your brain active with some “mental aerobics,” you may help build a reserve supply of brain cells and links between them. You might even grow new brain cells.3 This may be one reason scientists have seen a link between Alzheimer's and lower levels of education. Experts think the extra mental activity from education may protect the brain by strengthening connections between its cells. While school may be a thing of our past, tackling brain exercises like interactive puzzles certainly doesn’t have to be.

So the fun and possibly previously unexpected benefits of a puzzle challenge have been established. But these days, does pulling out a box with 1000 pieces, plus a board to assemble them on, feel a bit old school to you? Does this make all the positives just discussed end up falling a little flat?

Lucky for us, there is a way to make the most of mental stimulation but with a modern 3D flare, and in a crowded market of puzzle apps, Blueprint 3D stands out for its uniqueness. Brought to us by FDG Entertainment GmbH & Co.KG, Blueprint 3D is now enabled for Android* tablets powered by Intel® Atom™ Processors.

With over 300 levels of pure amazement, each begins with a mysterious clutter of seemingly chaotic dots and lines. Underneath all the chaos, however, lies a beautiful blueprint image waiting to be uncovered, similar to how you once anxiously waited for glimpse of the image a completed jigsaw puzzle would create. But in this modernized take, you just drag your finger across the screen to rotate the figure, and all of a sudden, you’ll notice that the lines start to make sense! Solve the puzzle by rotating the figure in all directions and on all planes until you hit the sweet spot. Once you’re there, the secret picture will reveal itself.

Hundreds of artistic HD images are available, and you can select your picture challenge from various themes that provide a full multimedia experience. Smooth graphics and an original soundtrack complete the engaging gameplay environment. You can also strive to reach achievements and post high scores.

This motivation makes the challenge that much more fun, and while you’ll still reap all of the mental benefits tough puzzles provide, you never have to worry about losing a puzzle piece again. These days, enjoying stimulating puzzles doesn’t require a cumbersome box containing a lot of small pieces; the fun is brought right to your mobile device so you can play anytime you like, from just about anywhere.

To start your own challenging 3D puzzle adventure, you can download the app now: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.FDGEntertainment.Blueprint3DHD.gp.

1. http://longevity.about.com/od/mentalfitness/p/mentalfitness.htm

2. http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/preventing-dementia-brain-exercises

3. http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/preventing-dementia-brain-exercises


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