Laying down and watching one of your favorite TV shows is a great way to spend a day off. It relaxes you, de-stresses you, and helps you escape the world for a while. Binge-watching consist of watching TV shows or movies for a lengthy period of time. One of the main reasons why we enjoy binge-watching is due to the chemical dopamine. NBC News writes “this chemical gives the body a natural, internal reward of pleasure that reinforces continued engagement in that activity.” However, if you abuse it, it can be unhealthy and addicting.
When you’re binge-watching one of your favorite shows, you’re most likely sitting or lying down on the couch. According to Reader Digest “Sitting for long stretches of time increases your risk of health issues (including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer), even if you also exercise regularly.” To avoid this, take a few breaks from each episode and go outside for a walk. You can also stand up while watching to help increase blood flow. Be cautious of your body when you lye or sit down for long periods of time. Once you start to get comfortable then addiction will begin to take place.
Addiction is never good, no matter what it is. No one ever says “okay let’s get addicted to watching TV.” Binge-watching can become very addicting because your mind tells you “one more episode” or “this is the last one” and you instead ignore your brain and you finish a whole season. Time travels very fast and next thing you know its 9 p.m. and it’s time to get ready for bed. Once you begin to focus on the screen, you’ll start to notice a change in your body.
Whether it’s on your phone or your TV in the living room, your eyes are glued to the brightness of the screen. Long periods of focus on the screen can put huge amounts of strain on your eyes. According to the Washington Post, “80 percent of Americans use digital devices for more than two hours a day, and 59 percent of them report eye strain, neck and shoulder pain, dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision.” You may not be able to notice right away, just like some other things you will ignore.
Like I said earlier, you can lose track of time when you’re watching an episode after another. If you tend to spend many hours sitting on the couch and watching TV, you could forget to eat, neglect your pets, and fail to do your chores and work. If you have an important presentation to present at work, you can easily lose a lot of time by just binge-watching. Slowly your mental health will be affected.
Once you finish a series, it can leave a sad imprint in your brain. It may have been a happy ending but don’t you ever think to yourself “I wish I can still experience the series” or “I hope it’s not the end.”? It’s because watching someone on TV helps you escape the real world and tricks you into thinking you’re living with one of your favorite characters set. NBC News explains “when we finish binge-watching a series, we actually mourn the loss.”
If you’re not careful, binge-watching can become a dangerous activity. If you do decide to binge-watch on your days off or on a workday, make sure to complete your entire task beforehand. You should also try implementing break times in between episodes. This will allow you to eat regularly, move around, and take care of some small chores. Binge-watching isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s the audience who is spoiled from enjoyment to lose sight.
