We all might think of bingo as just being a fun game and way for us to relax, unwind, and have fun. While this is all true, often we don’t realize just how significant the impact of playing can be on our health. There are actually numerous health benefits to playing bingo for anyone who does, so today we’re going to look at a few of those.

Improves cognition and memory

Playing bingo is actually much faster paced than a lot of us imagine. It’s not as simple as just marking numbers off a sheet. You have to be able to listen carefully and attentively, show speed and alertness in marking your numbers and of remembering which numbers you have in the first place. Studies have shown that these kinds of activities are of great benefit to the brain’s overall health, and improves concentration. Patients with dementia were even able to play well, and the games showed a marked improvement in their ability to concentrate.

Coordination and reflexes

Scanning your card for the numbers, being able to quickly find them, and then reacting by moving your hand to mark the number is, again, actually much trickier than you might imagine. Consistently doing so has been shown to improve coordination and reflexes, and can help the elderly but also everyone to maintain their dexterity later on in life. Research has demonstrated this time and again, that bingo is not just a fun game and social activity but a great way to improve dexterity.

Social activity

There can be no doubt that the benefits of social activity are virtually endless, and playing bingo is a great opportunity for this kind of social activity, through bingo halls or online bingo. Playing games with others like this is one of the most effective kinds of social activity, since it involves laughs, excitement and a shared activity. Studies have shown that those who have higher levels of social activity later on into their life had a much lower risk of loneliness and emotional isolation. This can be one of the most harmful things to the elderly later on in their lives, but also to younger people too. Bingo games are a fantastic way to get back out into the world, and have fun with friends.

Physical health

Social participation doesn’t just have an impact on our mental health, either. Our physical health is fundamentally bound up with our isolation or social participation as well. Studies have shown that those who spend more time in social activity are at a much lower risk of disability and of needing aid to perform basic, every day tasks, such as getting dressed or climbing the stairs. Being involved in regularly playing bingo can curtail these kinds of declines in health, both physically and mentally. You also create tight social networks and forge new friendships at the bingo hall, all of which support a healthier mind and body.

Recovery is sped up

One of the most surprising finds in the benefits of bingo is the way that it can actually speed up the healing process after an illness or an injury. Again, the mind and the body are totally bound up with one another, and so it makes sense that a healthier mental state (achieved through playing bingo) contributes to faster physical recovery from illness.

So, bingo is so much more than just a game. It’s a great way to meet new friends, improve mental and physical health and have tons of fun while doing it. There’s really no exaggerating the impact of a good game of bingo!