Board games are not only enjoyable during the holidays, but they also benefit our mental health.

Board games provide a fun and nostalgic break from screens.

Experts suggest that board games are not only enjoyable with friends and family, but also keep our minds sharp, promote relaxation, and create social opportunities.

Read on to game-plan our old-school board game pursuits.

How are playing board games good for mental health?

Board games promote positive mental health in many ways.

According to Carol Lambdin-Pattavina, OTD, a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and an associate professor in the department of Occupational Therapy at the University of New England in Portland, Maine, many board games challenge our executive functioning or more advanced brain skills from a cognitive perspective.

She stated that these skills encompass working memory, mental flexibility, emotional regulation, and organization, among others.

She stated that working memory is a form of short-term memory that is utilized to address problems that arise promptly during our daily routine.

She stated that people often utilize their working memory while playing board games by rapidly evaluating the available options to make the next move and outsmart opponents.

"The great thing about board games is that the stakes are low, so learning to emotionally regulate can feel less threatening."

Lambdin-Pattavina stated that mental flexibility, which enables us to change our thinking and adopt a new strategy, is an advantage when playing a board game with a strong emphasis on strategy.

Board games can also present opportunities to experience a broad range of emotions.

"Winning the game can bring pleasure, while making a wrong move can cause frustration," she stated.

"Board games have low stakes, making it easier to practice emotional regulation without feeling threatened."

Players must organize associated objects for many board games to keep up with gameplay, she stated.

If we couldn't manage our money, property cards and houses while playing Monopoly, it would cause chaos, she stated.

Are board games used for therapeutic purposes?

Occupational therapy often employs board games, according to Lambdin-Pattavina.

Children's primary occupation is play, and as we age, many of us engage in leisure activities such as board games, she observed.

"Enjoyable healing methods make it easier to mend our minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits."

"Board games can address a variety of challenges from cognition to social and emotional well-being."

She stated that this state of enjoyment releases neurotransmitters responsible for well-being and happiness, such as serotonin.

Lambdin-Pattavina stated that board games can tackle various challenges related to cognition, social, and emotional well-being, which is why they are often employed as a therapeutic medium.

Can playing board games be relaxing in the right context?

Board games are "completely" relaxing for players, according to Kathleen Young, PhD, MPH, a board-certified clinical psychologist and director of behavioral health with Novant Health Family Medicine in Wilmington, North Carolina.

According to Young, playing board games is often viewed as a leisure activity that offers stress relief and a means of escaping daily difficulties.

How can playing board games create social benefits, too?

Young stated that since many games necessitate social skills such as cooperation, communication, and teamwork, they offer chances to enhance these abilities.

Furthermore, engaging in board games can offer individuals an opportunity to socialize and bond with others.

"Games can be a great way of teaching social skills by modeling effective social behaviors."

"To form new social connections, consider joining a board game social group."

The University of New England's Lambdin-Pattavina noted that board games have varying social demands.

While some games like chess need minimal social interaction, others like Clue and Monopoly require more social interaction, she stated.

"Modeling effective social behaviors through games can be a great way to teach social skills," she added.

"The level of social interaction that players can tolerate can be used to choose board games."