Playing Tetris May Reduce Cravings in Smokers, Drinkers, Dieters

Want to quit smoking, drinking and eating excessively? Start playing Tetris. Visual stimulation from the block-building videogame reduces cravings for long enough to prevent them, according to researchers at Plymouth University.

Researchers said that playing Tetris could be an easy boost in willpower for people who want to reach their goals of dieting, or giving up smoking or alcohol.

"Episodes of craving normally only last a few minutes, during which time an individual is visualizing what they want and the reward it will bring. Often those feelings result in the person giving in and consuming the very thing they are trying to resist. But by playing Tetris, just in short bursts, you are preventing your brain creating those enticing images and without them the craving fades," co-study author Jackie Andrade said in a news release.

For the study, participants were asked to detail if and what they were craving and to rate those cravings in terms of their strength, vividness and intrusiveness. Participants were then split into two groups. One groups of participants played Tetris. Participants in the second group sat in front of a blank screen and were told that it was "attempting to load".

Participants were asked three minutes after playing Tetris or sitting in front of a blank screen to rate their cravings. Researchers found that participants who got to play Tetris experienced 24 percent weaker cravings than those who waited unsuccessfully for the game to load.

Researchers said the latest findings suggest elaborated intrusion (EI) theory can help diminish naturally occurring cravings. The theory shows that because imagery is central to craving, visual tasks should decrease cravings.

"Feeling in control is an important part of staying motivated, and playing Tetris can potentially help the individual to stay in control when cravings strike," said Andrade.

"It is something a person can quickly access, for the most part whether they are at work or at home, and replaces the feeling of stress caused by the craving itself. Ultimately, we are constantly looking for ways to stimulate cravings for healthy activities - such as exercise - but this a neutral activity that we have shown can have a positive impact," she added.

The findings are published in the journal Appetite.