Every year gathering around the Nintendo was family tradition.

The Tetris tournament was more than a game, a new study says all the block maneuvering was also reducing stress as well.

Tetris was not everyone's favorite game in our house, and my grandma was actually the biggest gamer of us all.

My grandma had at least two different game systems and sometimes three hooked up at one time in her basement.

She was a lifelong subscriber to Nintendo Power magazine and she could talk video games all day.

My grandma was more of a Zelda type of game lover, but it seemed like she bought almost every game that came out.

Every holiday we had a caffeine fueled Tetris tournament.

I would like to say I beat everyone at my favorite game, but my aunt Sharon was unbeatable at Tetris.

I could get my revenge against her in Street Fighter, but I don't think that game came with the same stress reducing formula as Tetris.

From an article in Mental Floss:

Now, there’s evidence that Tetris players may have a solution to anxiety in the palms of their hands. According to a paper published in the journal Emotion, Tetris has the capability to relieve stress and troubling thoughts by providing a form of distraction.

Read the entire Mental Floss article here.

I'm not sure I felt any less stress from the Tetris competition, but will be aware of my mental state this year when I try and dethrone my aunt.

Sources: Mental Floss

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