BINGE—WATCHING

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE MIDDLE GROUND

Anybody who has ever spent the weekend curled on the couch, binge–watching Outlander or

Stranger Things will know how intensely satisfying it can be.

And how tired you end up feeling on Monday.

Not to mention how hollow you can feel when a particularly enjoyable series comes to an end.

According to a survey done on behalf of Netflix, 61 percent of users regularly watch between two to six episodes of a show in a single sitting.

In fact, 361,000 people watched the full second season of Stranger

Things on the day of its release. All those hours spent on the couch can’t be good for you, can it?

Well, some experts say binge–watching can actually have beneficial effects.

In the same Netflix survey, 73 percent of people reported positive feelings associated with binge–watching.

You wouldn’t do it if you didn’t enjoy it, after all.

Binging is a proven stress reliever, when done within reason.

High–quality TV shows can even increase your emotional intelligence, making you more empathetic, as you’re constantly seeing things from the viewpoints of the characters.

Binge–watching with a loved one can bring you closer together, creating a shared experience you both enjoy and can talk about.

On the other hand, some experts say there are significant negatives connected with binging a show — anything from becoming more anti–social to getting addicted and suffering heart failure.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, adults who watch more than three hours of TV a day, double their risk of an early death.

The study asserts that this level of inactivity leads to an increased risk of various health issues, like heart disease and diabetes.

So, if you decide to have a movie marathon, take mini–breaks to stand and stretch, snack on healthier options, and make sure you’re not doing it alone (to fight the anti–social monster in you).