The power of play

Since its meteoric rise into a global digital phenomenon, solving the daily Wordle has become a ritual for millions of people. Every morning alongside a cup of coffee or during commute hours, people log on to solve a grid of six rows and five letters to guess the word of the day. Players proudly share their daily scores, analyse strategic opening words, and celebrate brief moments of victory over a six-try limit. But beyond the satisfaction of maintaining a streak, the viral popularity of games like Wordle raises a fundamental question: Are these daily digital word puzzles genuinely boosting our brain power, or are they simply a delightful distraction?

This modern fascination with quick, daily puzzles is not a brand-new phenomenon– rather, it is the digital evolution of a habit adults have relied on for generations to wind down. While Wordle serves as a quick morning spark to wake up the brain, many people instinctively reach for similar language puzzles at the close of the day to achieve the exact opposite effect.

Consider the common habit of winding down in the evening, when the day’s work is done, with a paper crossword. For millions of people around the world, sitting in bed with a newsprint puzzle and a pencil has long been a comforting evening ritual—a bridge between the frantic pace of the workday and the stillness of sleep. Instead of doomscrolling through bright smartphone screens that keep the mind wired, filling in a few clues provides a structured, quiet focus. It absorbs intrusive thoughts, helping the active mind transition out of work mode and signalling that it is finally time to release stress.

A late-night crossword on a nightstand, a weekly carrom tournament in the courtyard, or an evening match of Ludo with extended family—scenes like these were once a natural part of daily life across Pakistan. Today, however, as work culture expands to consume every waking hour and screen time dominates our leisure, play has increasingly been relegated to childhood. Adult life is governed by a rigid metric of productivity, where time spent outside work, family care, or domestic duties is often viewed with subtle guilt.

Yet, far from being a frivolous pastime or merely a sleep aid, an emerging body of public health research suggests that engaging in mentally stimulating, socially interactive games is a foundational pillar of long-term cognitive resilience. As life expectancies rise, preserving mental sharpness into our later years has become a priority. Many turn to digital apps, word puzzles, or complex board games in hopes of resisting cognitive decline. But what actually happens inside the brain when we sit down to play, and how can a simple game help us live healthier lives?

The limits of digital "brain training"

In recent years, a multibillion-dollar industry has emerged around commercial "brain-training" applications. Marketed as high-tech solutions to safeguard the aging brain, these digital games promise to enhance memory, boost focus, and even keep neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease at bay. A 2015 survey revealed that 40 percent of older Americans actively engaged in puzzles specifically for brain health—ranking mental games ahead of sleep, exercise, and diet as their preferred habit for staying sharp.

However, scientific evidence surrounding the effectiveness of computerised brain games remains mixed. One major review noted that while specialised games make players better at the specific tasks within the software, there is little evidence these skills transfer to everyday real-world cognitive abilities. The consensus among health experts is clear: brain games cannot reverse dementia, and many commercial claims made by brain-training companies are exaggerated.

“Games can engage several cognitive functions at the same time, including attention, working memory, planning, decision-making, mental flexibility, language, visuospatial skills and problem-solving,” said Muhammad Hamza Atiq, who teaches at the psychiatry department of AKUH. “For example, chess requires planning, working memory and anticipating an opponent's moves; bridge involves memory, probability, attention and social communication; crosswords and word games involve language and retrieval; while many board games require decision-making, mental flexibility and adapting to changing circumstances,” he told The Express Tribune.

This broad spectrum of mental mechanics explains why variety is key. Relying solely on a single daily Wordle or late-night crossword creates a narrow proficiency, whereas engaging with different types of mental challenges yields a well-rounded cognitive exercise.

“There is evidence that intellectually stimulating leisure activities can improve aspects of cognitive functioning, particularly when they involve learning new skills, communication and sustained mental engagement,” Atiq said. “However, we should not claim that one particular type of game is universally superior. Different games exercise different cognitive abilities, and the evidence suggests that variety may be useful. A game is more likely to stimulate the brain when a person has to think, make decisions, remember information, learn strategies and adapt to new situations.”

Learning new skills

To understand why play is so vital, one must look at how the brain adapts to novel challenges over time. According to recommendations from the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH), engaging in lifelong mentally challenging activities builds cognitive resilience over time.

Whether it is playing a high-stakes match of bridge or carom, structured play deploys four distinct neurological mechanisms. Firstly, they establish sustained attention. Games force the mind out of passive consumption and require active concentration on rules, clues, spatial changes, and live variables.

Secondly, they activate your memory. Players must constantly recall past moves, hidden cards, active constraints, or vocabulary strategies.

Thirdly, playing games employs brain functions to make strategic choices. They demand decision-making, impulse control, and rapid adaptation when circumstances change.

Lastly, physical sports and active outdoor games add a metabolic layer, increasing cardiovascular fitness and benefiting overall cognitive health.

“There is encouraging evidence that cognitive and recreational activities can help maintain aspects of cognitive function as we age,” said Atiq. “Systematic reviews of tabletop and board games have found improvements in global cognition and executive functioning, particularly among older adults.”

Yet, he points out that looking at long-term outcomes requires more precision.

“We need to be careful about saying that playing games prevents Alzheimer's disease or dementia,” Atiq said. “The evidence is much stronger for improving or maintaining certain cognitive abilities than it is for proving that games prevent dementia. For example, a large longitudinal study found that people who regularly played board games had a lower risk of dementia, but importantly, this association became much weaker after accounting for baseline cognition and depression. This illustrates why observational studies cannot establish that the game itself caused the lower dementia risk. So my interpretation would be: Games are a promising component of healthy cognitive aging, but they should not be marketed as a way of preventing dementia.”

The World Health Organisation’s 2026 recommendations reflect this view, specifically incorporating cognitive stimulation and social engagement as key elements in a broader strategy to reduce cognitive decline risk.

The science of human connection

While solo digital puzzles provide a peaceful, low-pressure way to engage the mind, multiplayer games—like bridge, carrom, chess, or board games—offer a crucial dimension that screens and solo exercises lack – human interaction.

Social connection is not merely a pleasant byproduct of playing together; it is an intensive neurological exercise in its own right. A live interaction requires reading micro-expressions, interpreting subtle intentions, anticipating verbal responses, regulating emotional reactions, and maintaining active conversation.

“This may be one of the most important aspects of playing games,” explained Atiq. “Social interaction itself requires considerable brain activity. We have to listen, remember what another person has said, interpret intentions, anticipate responses, regulate our emotions and adapt our behavior. Therefore, a social game may provide several forms of mental stimulation simultaneously.”

A game such as chess or bridge is not simply a cognitive exercise, he said. When played with other people, it combines cognitive stimulation with social interaction, communication, emotional engagement and a sense of belonging. There is also increasing evidence that social isolation and poor social relationships are associated with cognitive decline in older adults. “Conversely, social participation appears to be protective, although the precise causal relationship is complex. Randomised studies of social-interaction interventions suggest that social engagement can have beneficial effects particularly on executive functioning, although the evidence is not strong enough to say that social interaction alone prevents dementia,” he explained further.

For many adults, particularly older individuals navigating empty nests or retirement, the emotional and social nourishment provided by a weekly gathering unmatched.

“So I would say that the companionship may be almost as important as the game itself for some people,” Atiq observes. “A weekly bridge or chess group provides cognitive stimulation, social contact, routine, enjoyment and a reason to leave the house and interact with others.”

Disease prevention

Given the widespread fear surrounding neurodegenerative diseases, it is understandable why people eagerly grab onto any habit that promises absolute protection. But health professionals warn against treating play as a singular medical prescription.

“There is no particular board game, card game or brain-training program that has been proven to prevent Alzheimer's disease, depression, stroke or cancer by itself. Rather, games can be one component of a lifestyle that reduces risk,” clarified Atiq.

Similarly, physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes and several cancers, and is associated with better mental health and cognitive health. “So rather than saying playing games prevents dementia, I would say games are one enjoyable way of incorporating these activities into everyday life, in order to maintain one’s intellectual abilities.

Reclaiming leisure time

In a society that equates value strictly with output, making room for play requires a conscious shift in mindset. Across Pakistani culture, leisure is frequently treated as an afterthought or a luxury reserved for those who have exhausted every other responsibility.

“I think we need to change our perception of play,” emphasised Atiq. “In many societies, including ours, playing games is sometimes viewed as something children do and adults should have outgrown. Adults are expected to work, study, earn money and fulfil family responsibilities, while leisure is sometimes regarded as unproductive. We should recognise that healthy leisure is not wasted time.”

The best incentive is that reclaiming play does not demand costly subscriptions or high-tech gear. The most impactful habits are often low-cost and easily integrated into daily routines.

“I would encourage families to deliberately make time for play,” suggests Atiq. “It doesn't have to mean spending hours on a game. It could be a family board game once or twice a week; a game of chess or cards with friends; a crossword or word puzzle; badminton or table tennis; walking or playing a sport with friends; learning a new game or skill; and community-based games for older adults.”

The emphasis should be on regularity, enjoyment and social connection rather than competition or performance. “Most importantly,” concluded Atiq, “playing should complement and not replace the fundamentals of brain health which are physical activity, adequate sleep, healthy diet, social relationships, control of hypertension and diabetes, avoidance of tobacco and harmful alcohol use, and treatment of depression and other medical conditions.”

In our pursuit of healthy living, we often forget that well-being is not just about avoiding illness—it is about nurturing joy, curiosity, and connection. Setting aside time each day to play, whether over a grid on a screen, a board with family, or a pencil and paper puzzle before bed, may just be one of the simplest, most rewarding investments in our long-term health.