We all love a good series. Our ideal weekend plans, date plans, family get-togethers, friends’ night out all would mostly end up with us watching a movie or a series. But, is it really safe as we think it to be?
Traditional vs Modern
In the present world, most people are always looking for new and interesting activities as a means of distraction from their personal pressures. With developing technology, especially in the area of mass communication, people find themselves being attracted towards different genres of TV/Web series. The number of TV/Web series today is huge in numbers compared to the times of older generations when the bare minimum was just a radio, and so communication was simply one way. But in the modern world, once a person watches a series, they have access to immediately post reviews on social media platforms, which increases the audience range.
Traditional series was simple, short and the stories would usually revolve around families, love, friendship, and drama which were enjoyed by people back then. Present-day series are much more different and advanced as the audience began to demand more new and fresh content, for instance, sci-fi, thriller, crime, suspense, violence, horror, and such genres are the most demanded categories.
Also read: Top 10 Online Learning Platforms
State of otiose
Binge-watching is one of the biggest trends when it comes to the modern world. When a series is newly released, many people feel obligated to watch it before anyone else which makes them push all their other plans for later and get engulfed in the world of virtual media. This not only lessens their proficiency but also disrupts their peace of mind as they begin to feel dullness, confusion, and inadequate focus. Complaints of students slipping grades, employees reaching work late, distractions have been increasing due to this habit of excessively watching series. Entertainment is one of the biggest reasons behind the progression of the series. When people are given such open options for entertainment, they soon get addicted to it, which in turn increases the demand for various series and decreases their regular productivity rate.
Such addictions are much more dangerous than we think they could be. We unknowingly give in all the time and energy to more and more movies and shows which makes us more and more lethargic.
Affect on children
Violence and foul language in such a series could affect a child’s brain. Children usually have the tendency to preach what they see and learn, and exposure to such explicit content would make the child be more violent and harsh. Some kids, even adults could even feel frightened by the violence and horror which causes restlessness and anxiety among them. This fear and uneasiness affect a person’s everyday routine, and in the motive to distract them further, they are again alluded to to watch another series. This cycle continues for a long period of time and their minds slowly start to get accustomed to this large number of series and feel the urge to continue watching more.
Children tend to imitate new behaviors and practices when they see one do it. Dangerous habits like smoking, drug use, drinking, etc are constantly brought up in many TV shows. The children watching such shows find themselves being attracted to such practices and fall into dangerous traps due to such intentions. Teenagers around the age of 16-21 often follow this method of “marathon viewing” which is basically watching large long series in a single sitting.
Physical Health regressions
TV shows not only affect mental health but physical health. Yes! It affects your physical health too. When a person binge watches a series, they also begin to binge on their favorite snacks, drinks, heavy junk foods for a prolonged period of time. This can lead to obesity, high cholesterol levels, and many more issues. It will reduce their energy and stamina and cause them to be lazy, and in worst cases, depression and anxiety.
Sitting ideal for a long time in the same position can lead to a weakening of leg muscles and gluteal muscles. These muscles are important to keep you stable and strong for running or even walking. Not only leg muscles, but it can also even shorten your hip flexor muscles which can lead to hip problems, increase in chronic diseases like diabetes, heart problems, some cancers, continuously watching TV/laptop can lead to severe headaches and damaged eyesight.
What next?
So, does this mean we can never watch series? We must never watch another movie? No more Stranger things? Outer Banks? Money Heist? Absolutely not! Here are a few tips for you to enjoy your favorite series and still have good health.
- Limit the number of episodes a day – Limiting the number of episodes a day can really help you stay on track and on the right schedule. Even if you have completed your work early, don’t let yourself fall into a binge watch session.
- Snack healthier – While it seems almost impossible to not snack when you’re watching you’re watching your favorite movie or series, it is possible to make healthier options. Instead of chips or soda, try fresh vegetables and fruit juices. It can be really refreshing than you expect it to be.
- Maintain an active lifestyle – After sitting in front of a series for a long time, it is advisable to go for a short walk as walking can really activate your leg muscles, heart rate and increase energy.
- Watching the right content – Anyone watching any series must check if it is appropriate content for them. Watching inappropriate content can terribly mess up viewers mind and we must all be responsible to enjoy the right shows for us.
- Explore new hobbies – Shows and movies are not the only form of entertainment in the world. Gardening, photography, stitching, painting, baking and many other activities can be fun to satisfy your boredom. The world is filled with so many new crafty activities, and we can choose the one which we enjoy and love.
From this article, we learn that even though watching movies and shows for a long time can be dangerous, we can also indulge into our favorite shows and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Happy watching!
