Binge-watching television can damage your health

A lot of people like to wind up the week by relaxing in front of the television and binge-watch shows and movies. This trend has become even more popular with Netflix gaining ground and releasing all new episodes of a series at the same time.

Binge-watching is preferred by those who do not want to wait a week to watch the next episode of a show, but it turns out this habit has more cons than pros.

As per a new study, sitting long hours in front of the television have been linked to obesity, diabetes and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The study conducted by the University of Turku focused on people undergoing retirement transition and it found that during the transition period the daily amount of sitting increased on average from four and a half to six hours and the time used for television viewing also increased significantly.

The research found that sitting increased significantly among women who had been sitting a lot at work, had a low physical activity level, and among those who suffered from sleep difficulties.

Key findings of the study were released in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Here are a few side effects of binge-watching television:

Addiction:

Binge-viewing starts off as fun. But chances are high you could get obsessed. “Addiction involves doing an activity more than you had planned," Jonathan Fader, PhD, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Union Square Practice in New York City, was quoted as saying by Reader's Digest. "For example, if you intend to watch three episodes of a show and end up watching six, it could be a sign that you're overdoing it.”

Get Bored:

At the same time, one could also get bored, says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. “You buy something new, but then it gets old," she said. "At first, a new TV show is really exciting, but the more you watch, the less you enjoy it over time.”

Anti-social:

Binge-watching is essentially a lonely activity. “Whenever you spend too much time on something, you’re taking time away from other essential things in life, like hanging out with friends or working,” Lyubomirsky said.