The next time you feel the urge to light up in the stairwell, why not try climbing the stairs instead?  A new review of studies shows that exercise really does help smokers trying to quit by decreasing the urge for nicotine.

Published in the journal Addiction, the analysis showed that partaking in some sort physical activity was greatly linked to decreased cravings for nicotine when compared with doing something less active. The report noted the study participants did not use any other kinds of smoking cessation programs or products, so they might have been using physical activity as a means to take their mind off their nicotine cravings.

And this isn't the first time fitness has been highlighted as a tool for helping smokers to quit. A previous study published in the journal Psychopharmacology found that exercise can also change the activity in the brains of smokers, which translated into a lowered craving for nicotine.