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In today’s digital age, we log on more than log off. We are constantly sliding from one screen to another with our minds often switching to autopilot. Our brains are no longer being challenged because information is served straight to us, often so quickly we hardly have time to even process it. So it's probably a good time to take a step back and engage in some mindful activities that will not only stimulate your brain but help boost memory retention.

The benefits of solving puzzles
Puzzling is hardly a newfound pastime. In fact, crossword puzzles originated in England in the 19th century. There’s a reason it continues to be a beloved hobby for people of all ages.

Puzzling is incredibly fun – almost downright addictive for the daily indulgers. It’s also a great practice to share with others, forming a creative and competitive bond between friends.

Most importantly, puzzling has been proven to boost your health. In fact, a large-scale and robust online trial, as reported by Science Daily, has found that the more regularly people do word puzzles such as crosswords, the better their brain function in later life.

The puzzle instinct
The simple world of black and white puzzles – from crosswords and wheel words, to sudoku and brainteasers – were once confined to the pages of magazines and newspapers but now devotees are able to head online to interactive websites like youplay.com to fulfil their puzzling cravings.

However, the classic art of puzzling by hand is making a comeback in the form of a sophisticated and elegant new hybrid magazine – one that combines a variety of challenging puzzles with informative and fascinating lifestyle content.

Audrey Daybook is a bi-monthly magazine created by puzzle aficionados, Lovatts, who have been creating puzzle magazines for nearly 40 years. After noticing a gap on newsstands where editorial and puzzling meet in harmony, the team conceived Audrey Daybook, a magazine that informs, challenges and inspires – keeping your both your mind and your spirit healthy. It truly enchants your mind to:

1. Be informed and discover healthy lifestyle philosophies, plus learn how to incorporate mindful and intentional ways of living.

2. Be challenged with a variety of puzzles that boost verbal skills, improve memory and brain function, encourage creative and strategic thinking, develop problem-solving skills, distract and keep the mind busy, and offer a sense of achievement upon completion.

3. Be inspired by fascinating women and how they’ve changed their world for the better, and spend some time crafting beautiful art projects, all of which are set amidst pages of beautiful images and whimsical illustrations.

With the classic art of puzzling getting such a fresh makeover and mindful activities being embraced as essential, more people are turning to puzzling to stimulate, educate and reward themselves in their daily practices. Regardless of whether they are seasoned crossword connoisseurs or simply keen to dip their toes into the puzzling realm, smart never goes out of style.

To find out more about Audrey Daybook visit: audreydaybook.com.

What puzzles do you enjoy doing?

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