Tetris Could Help Curb Food, Drug Cravings
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A few minutes of playing Tetris could help curb cravings for food and drugs, according to a new study out of England.
Participants in the Plymouth University, and Queensland University of Technology, Australia study were monitored for levels of craving, and instructed to play Tetris at random intervals throughout the day.
The psychologists found that playing the game interfered with participants' desires for food, drugs, and even cigarettes and alcohol.
"Playing Tetris decreased craving strength for drugs, food, and activities from 70% to 56%. We think the Tetris effect happens because craving involves imagining the experience of consuming a particular substance or indulging in a particular activity. Playing a visually interesting game like Tetris occupies the mental processes that support that imagery; it is hard to imagine something vividly and play Tetris at the same time," Professor Jackie Andrade from the School of Psychology and the Cognition Institute at Plymouth University said.
By Gregg Rosenblum - Follow him on Twitter
