The 3 Best Relaxing Puzzle Game Apps to Distract You When You're Stressed - Stress Relief on Your Phone

The 3 Best Relaxing Puzzle Game Apps to Distract You When You're Anxious - Stress Relief on Your Phone - via Devastate Boredom

I don't know about you, but when I'm stressed my mind can go a mile a minute. Whirling thoughts, dwelling on whatever circumstances are causing the anxiety... not fun. There are plenty of ways to deal with it when it happens, and believe me, I've tried them all! ;P Deep breathing, meditating on a scripture verse or motivating quote, rereading specific favorite books, calling a friend, yoga, etc etc -- but today I'm going to share another fun option for calming / distracting a spinning mind... one you might not have tried yet!

One of the easiest ways I've found to calm racing thoughts is....

...to play a puzzle game on my phone.

Nothing too stimulating or intense of course, and nothing that will potentially frustrate me, haha! Just a soothing mental distraction with a "thinking" component. Unlike yoga, which needs dedicated space, and unlike calling a friend or rereading a favorite book, both of which requires dedicated time, puzzle apps are easily transportable and can be wedged into whatever space of time you have available.

Waiting in line at the bank and getting panicky about your to-do list? Whip out your phone and spend a few minutes playing one of the games I'm about to recommend. Don't fall for the facebook / twitter trap and start surfing! Personally I have found that browsing social media when I'm stressed out isn't calming AT ALL... too much information! Too much potential for further stress, if you end up comparing yourself unfavorably to someone else's shiny photos, or stumble across a ridiculously inflammatory political post... not that THAT ever happens these days, right? *rolls eyes*

These apps even can work better at distracting me than watching a TV show will, because of the "thinking" component of the puzzles. It's not passive entertainment -- it's a little like the mental equivalent of taking a walk. Not too much exertion, but enough to wear off some excess energy in a calming way. And since these games are interesting and engaging, it can shift my mind off of whatever I'm obsessing over, in a positive way.

The Top 3 Relaxing Puzzle Game Apps

The Top 3 Calming Puzzle Game Apps to Distract You When You're Anxious - Stress Relief on Your Phone - via Devastate Boredom

1. Monument Valley -- This is one of my absolute favorite phone games ever... incredibly creative and original! Monument Valley is a fascinating, addictive game, based on optical illusion type puzzle boards and following a loose storyline. The game has a dreamlike quality and truly gorgeous graphics. It is fairly simple to play with most of the solutions falling into place as you "walk" through the puzzle board, but since those solutions aren't obvious until you discover them (that optical illusion aspect!) it is incredibly engaging with almost no possibility for frustration. There are background sounds similar to chimes and gongs as you manipulate the game board, which adds to the calming atmosphere.

Want to be smarter AND calmer? Check out these soothing puzzle game apps -- sharpen your thinking while beating stress at the same time! via Devastate Boredom

2. Quell, Quell Reflect, and Quell Memento -- These puzzle games involve a bit more brainpower than Monument Valley, as you negotiate a drop of water around various obstacles to collect gold dots. Simple to explain, but sometimes a little more challenging to accomplish! There are three levels of achievement, the first which you meet simply by solving the puzzle, the next requiring you solve the puzzle in a set minimum number of moves, and the third involving discovering a jewel hidden in each puzzle level. It is a very zen kind of game play, with spa-like background music, and if you get frustrated with a particular puzzle you can always trade game points to "buy" the solution.

3. Mahjong -- This classic low-key puzzle game simply involves matching game tiles to remove them from play and reveal new tiles stacked below. There are endless variations on game play to keep it "fresh," and the repetitive nature of the puzzle can be quite soothing. There isn't any background music on the version I own, but there are plenty of other options available for (free!) download too.

I hope you enjoy these sources of positive distraction for a turbulent mind! If you have a favorite "calming" puzzle game let me know so I can check it out too. Wishing you peaceful thoughts!

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13 comments

AudreyJuly 6, 2016 at 7:51 PM
I love mah jongg games. But lately I have been playing a lot of match 3 games. I just wish someone would make them like Puzzle Kingdom again, sigh.
Cascia TalbertJuly 14, 2016 at 11:41 AM
I used to love playing Mahjong but now I am hooked on all the King games. I've tried nearly every single one, but I have my favorites.
Emma @ Our Whimsical DaysJuly 16, 2016 at 9:44 AM
Will have to give these a try! Playing computer games is one of my favorite ways to unwind!
Julie SylJuly 16, 2016 at 5:53 PM
I totally was once addicted to Mahjong, I would play it for an hour at a time, thru my lunch breaks, between chores ..Wow How times change...Thanks for sharing at the Pit Stop
Lydia from Lydia's Flexitarian KitchenJuly 20, 2016 at 9:16 AM
Welcome to Creatively Crafty #ccbg! I like puzzle games, too. They do seem to calm the mind. Thanks for sharing :)
AnonymousJuly 20, 2016 at 11:34 AM
You know, I never really thought about games for relieving stress. I was talking to someone about puzzles recently, and realized how much I actually enjoy putting them together, and how peaceful of an activity it really is for your mind and body. I'll have to check out some of these apps!
rloJuly 20, 2016 at 4:54 PM
Monument Vally looks pretty cool! I am going to download it and try it out! Thanks for sharing at the Family Joy Linkup!
Cathy KennedyJuly 21, 2016 at 11:13 AM
I usually like playing Spider Solitaire to help me unwind in the evenings or just anytime. I checked the app store for these games. They are available for purchase, but I think I'll wait for them be offered as a freebie. This may take awhile before that happens, but finances are tight at the moment with DH out of work. I appreciate the recommendations,though. It's nice meeting you through Oh My Heartsie mid-week blog hop!
UnknownJuly 24, 2016 at 3:06 PM
This is so cool. I use games on FB to do this, distract me, make my mind think and relax. After my stroke these games have really helped me to tune things out, reset and help with brain fatigue. I play candy crush and angry birds. I have to think and it makes me tune everything else out. I will be trying these games you have suggested and passing on this info to my kids who both inherited my anxiety. Poor things. I hope they find as much calming relaxation as I do!
Janet TrieschmanJuly 28, 2016 at 1:11 AM
I haven't tried the first two. I love playing Spider Solitaire with 2 decks! Thanks for sharing with #CCBG
LeanneAugust 11, 2016 at 9:51 PM
I love these type of games - they let your brain switch gears for awhile - I'm a fan of Spider Solitaire, mahjong and the Secret Society for their stress relief.
BecsterAugust 12, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Never heard of the first two but Mah-Jong = YES! I've just downloaded an app called Peak which is great. #FridayFrivolity
Syncopated MamaSeptember 3, 2016 at 8:28 AM
That optical illusion one looks really cool, I'll have to remember to see if it is out there for the Nook. For a while I was into Trivia Crack and even Oregon Trail (but that one would suck me in too much) for those types of breaks.