Did you know that September 9th, International Sudoku Day celebrates the logic-based number-placement puzzle called Sudoku. It’s also a day to learn to play this fun number game.

Sudoku is comprised of a grid of little boxes called cells, stacked nine high and nine wide, totaling 81 cells. Players fill each row, column, and square with the numbers 1 through 9. The numbers cannot repeat within the row, column, or square. Also, a Sudoku grid already has some of the numbers filled in. The more spaces that are filled, the easier the game.

Potential benefits of being a sudoku player include:

» Reduced anxiety and stress

» Improved thinking skills

» Improved memory

» Promotes healthy competition

» Improved logical thinking

Sudoku can even help steer us toward a healthier mindset overall. When the brain is not well stimulated, it can tend to dwell on thoughts that are negative in nature. That said, just as physical exercise can help boost vitality, exercising your mind can help cultivate a happier brain in general.

Angela Brogan

Assisted Living Director