Does it seem like you’ve had a hard time functioning mentally during the pandemic? If so, you’re not alone.

I’ll admit it right here in front of God and everybody – I’ve done some stupid stuff here lately. It’s typically been small things like opening the fridge when getting ready to put something in the microwave, but I have caught myself being a little more absent minded since the pandemic began.

I just chalked it up to getting old, and while that may have something to do with it, many people have been suffering from a condition known as “pandemic brain.” It’s a fact that the boredom and stress of the pandemic have a very real mental and physical impact on our bodies.

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Armed with the knowledge that chronic stress has been linked to the shrinking of the part of the brain that handles focus, memory and learning, Spider Solitaire Challenge surveyed 3,000 people to see how many have felt the negative mental effects of the pandemic.

And the results reveal “pandemic brain” has been a real problem for many Texans over the last year and a half.

Almost half (49%) of Texans say they’ve been affected mentally by the pandemic, which is pretty much on par with the rest of the United States.

The good news is that there are ways to fight “pandemic brain.” Neal Taparia of Spider Solitaire Challenge says playing games is a great way to exercise your brain:

If you’re craving mental stimulation, playing games online and puzzle-solving are a great way to exercise skills you may not use on an everyday basis.

After reading that, I’m thinking it’s time to put that Xbox to good use.

Created by spider-solitaire-challenge.com
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