Stop doomscrolling — I swapped to this relaxing virtual hobby and my stress levels plummeted

Between the dire news notifications, soaring grocery bills, the kids demanding new toys every second Tuesday, never getting enough sleep, not to mention too much screen time, I've been running on cortisol and coffee lately. And I know I'm not alone in feeling stressed and overwhelmed in this mad world.

I can't change global affairs or the price of cheese, so I'm focusing on what I can change: I've scheduled Downtime on my iPhone from 10pm-7am, and have been seeking out alternatives to doomscrolling. The below four nature-inspired online jigsaw puzzles are the soothing new hobby that my overstimulated brain needs to help me to wind down and fall asleep quickly.

Secretive Squirrel jigsaw puzzle

First up is this enigmatic squirrel, based on a photograph by my friend and colleague Nikita. In this week's batch of jigsaw puzzles we also have a charming English village scene featuring an aqueduct straddling a river and a railway line; a soothing macro photo of rain-splashed leaves; and a charming robin with captivating feather details.

Choose your difficulty level and hit 'Play Now' to get started – and see my playing instructions below if you need any help at any time.

English Aqueduct from the Skies jigsaw puzzle

After the Rain Macro jigsaw puzzle

Feathered Friend jigsaw puzzle

How to play our online jigsaw puzzles

You can make use of the helpful buttons along the bottom to help you. ‘Edge Pieces Only’ clears the clutter so you can get those corners and the outer frame perfected first, which is always my preferred system for completing jigsaw puzzles in real life, too. ‘Reveal Puzzle Image’ gives you a sheer version of the final image that you can lay the pieces directly onto. ‘Place Next Piece’ does exactly that, acting as a friend or puzzle partner.

Whether you use those help buttons or not, you’ll see when you’ve placed a piece in the correct position as the number at the top will increase, taking you closer to full marks and a place on the leaderboard.

We'll be publishing more each week, so if you enjoy jigsaws then do bookmark the Jigsaws section of our Puzzles & Quizzes page for more as they arrive.

How did you do? Let us know what you think in the comments below –– including any other jigsaw puzzles you'd love to see.

If you enjoyed this quiz, then check out our other puzzles and quizzes. And don't forget to register to save your score, reveal hints for any clues you're not sure of and secure your spot on the competitive Tom's Guide leaderboards.

And if you love jigsaw puzzles, you may be interested in splashing out on some analog jigsaw puzzles to play at home.

Shop jigsaw puzzles

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