Digital games can beat mindfulness applications to relieve stress

Digital games, typical of those used on smartphones, can relieve stress after a day of work more effectively than mindfulness applications, according to a study by UCL and the University of Bath.

In the study, published in JMIR Mental Healthparticipants were given a 15-minute math test, then were invited to play a close-to-body game or use an awareness application. The control group received a "fidget-spinner" toy.

Participants who played the "Block! Hexa Puzzle" game reported feeling more energetic and less fatigued afterwards, while those in mindfulness and furtor groups reported the opposite: their level of energy stimulation "seemed to diminish.

In a second part of the study, participants who played a well-adjusted game after returning from work for five days reported feeling more relaxed at the end of the week than those who use an app mindfulness had been requested.

Professor Anna Cox (UCL Interaction Center), co-author of the study, said: "Far from feeling guilty about being absorbed by their phone, the people who play such games after a stressful day of work should know that they will get real benefits. "

Lead author Dr. Emily Collins of the University of Bath, who began research at the University of California, Washington, said, "To protect our long-term health and well-being, we need to be able to relax and recover after work Our study suggests playing digital games can be an effective way to do it. "

The authors noted that digital games appeared to meet four criteria needed for recovery after work: they tended to relax, they were able to master a new skill, they were immersive and distracting and allowed people to feel in control. .

While previous research had shown a connection between gambling and improving after-work recovery, the authors attempted to establish a causal link.

The first part of the study consisted of a laboratory experiment in which 45 students aged 19 to 36 were asked a series of mathematical questions to put them under stress at work and then spent ten minutes either on the digital game, the dynamic game mode or the attention of Headspace. app.

In a survey conducted before and after the use of the game, the application or the toy, they evaluated on a four-point scale their fatigue and energy.

In the second part of the study, a different group of 20 participants was invited to play the fitness game or use a mindfulness app after returning from work five days in a row. The game and the application were installed on the participants' phones. Once the activities were completed, participants were invited to complete an online questionnaire.

Although there was no difference between the two groups in terms of participants' sense of dynamism, the fit game seemed to offer increasing benefits throughout the week in terms of recovery "- that is, how much the participants felt relaxed, detached, in control, and able to improve their skills.

This was measured by asking the participants how much they agreed with statements such as "During the activity, I forgot to work."

Surprisingly, participants who took a beginner's course on Headspace's mindfulness application were less successful on this measure within five days.

The authors also noted that the level of enjoyment of the digital game was correlated with the amount of benefits it offered in terms of recovery after work.