Binge-watching Can Affect Mental Health


A new hobby that people tend to partake in is binge-watching shows through services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Go, Starz, Showtime, and more. Instead of waiting each week for a new episode of your favorite show to surface, streaming networks show a full season which can be as long as thirteen episodes. According to a study by Deliotte, 70% binge-watch shows more than watching traditional television. While it may seem like watching televisions are completely harmless, they can actually do harm to your physical and mental state.

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According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, adults that watch more than three hours a day are at risk of premature death. Those who like to watch shows in long stretches of time can increase the risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. You know that you have an addiction to binge-watching if you planned on only watching three episodes of a series but you ended up watching six. Binge-watching can also lead to a lack of a social life as Marketcast says 56% of binge-watchers want to watch alone and 98% prefer to watch their show at home.

When you think of how long a tv series is, you will be sitting down for a long period of time if you plan to watch a season or an entire series. According to Nielsen ratings, watching shows like LOST, The Good Wife, and How I Met Your Mother can take three days to finish. The West Wing can take five days and 24 can take six days and two hours to finish. A sedentary life can cause a decrease in circulation and metabolism, making you feel sluggish.

In order to watch your favorite shows in a healthy way, you can take breaks in between each episode so that you can accomplish responsibilities that you need to complete. It also helps to not snack while watching a whole series since that can lead to mindless overeating. It is also better to watch shows with other people in order to feel closer to them as you chat about what went on in the episode as well as what they think will happen next. Instead of sitting by the television or the computer, watch the shows on the treadmill to get activity. Watching shows should not take over your life but to provide you with relaxation and fun during your downtime.

Smarmore Castle Private Clinic in County Louth, near Dublin was founded in 1988 as a residential rehabilitation hospital treating people suffering from drug and alcohol purposes. Smarmore Castle believes in helping patients lead a life of abstinence through 12 Step programs, detox and medical treatment, psychotherapy, and complementary therapies. For more information, please call 041-214-5111. For those who live out of the country, the international number is 00353-41-214-5111.

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