The whole point of an escape room is to look for clues and solve puzzles, which is entertaining and fun for many. But in addition to escaping rooms being an enjoyable activity, it's also good for memory and creativity. Problem solving and puzzles benefit both brain function and brain activity.
It's no secret that escape rooms are probably one of the most fun activities, but solving puzzles has actually been proven to improve your mood. An article in USA Today explains that solving puzzles increases our brain's production of dopamine, which helps regulate our mood. Every time we solve a puzzle correctly, dopamine is released in our brains. No wonder escape rooms are so much fun! The production of dopamine in our brain also helps regulate stress.
The USA Today article also describes that problem and puzzle solving helps improve memory by strengthening the existing connections between our brain cells. As a result, we can improve our mental speed and thought process. This also makes sense in an escape room as it can often be necessary to remember where certain clues were found, or perhaps in what order these clues were found. Furthermore, it is of course obvious that having fast thought processes will benefit you in an escape room, as the game is timed.
Another fantastic benefit of escape room activities is that they accelerate ingenuity. This means that as we solve puzzles and search for clues, our brains are forced to create new ideas to come up with a solution. For example, when we work through a puzzle, we are actually working through a series of guesses, using creativity to test our theories. This type of problem solving encourages us to be creative and innovative in a unique way. Through problem solving and working through puzzles, we get the opportunity to use our brains in a unique way and strengthen different parts of the brain. We are able to become more creative, improve our memory and relieve stress! If simply solving puzzles can help the brain function better, just think what an hour in an escape room can do for you!