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  • Whether you are watching an entire Netflix series in one sitting

  • or playing the newest Zelda from start to finish,

  • most of us spend a significant time in front of screens.

  • But is binge watching bad for your brain and body ?

  • In the past it may have actually been deadly !

  • In 1967, an era in manufacturing led to the selling of TV's

  • which emitted harmful X-Rays with radiation levels 100,000 times higher than what is considered safe today.

  • But even modern televisions cause a strain on your eyes.

  • Under normal circumstances, humans blink around 18 times per minute,

  • but when staring at a screen, this rate decreases drastically,

  • causing sore and tired eyes.

  • Fortunately, these symptoms are generally short-term.

  • In children, however, simply spending extended hours indoors can have developmental effects

  • A condition called Myopia where the eyes cannot focus properly

  • is seen much more frequently in children who spend more time inside.

  • Not only are you constantly forced to focus on nearby objects

  • as opposed to far-off landscapes and distances.

  • But scientists believe that the sun itself, may actually play a role in healthy eye regulation.

  • And while TV might feel like a nice way to relax your body and brain,

  • that may not always be a good thing.

  • Not only is a sedentary lifestyle a major contributor to obesity,

  • but studies have shown that, people who watch less TV tend to burn more calories.

  • Even if they aren't doing more physical activity.

  • Simply doing more mentally rigorous tasks like reading, playing a board game or

  • simple household activities requires more energy and burns more calories.

  • And if you want to truly relax, TV before bed may also be hurting you.

  • Studies have shown that it may actually reduce the hours of quality sleep.

  • Contributing to chronic sleep debt.

  • It may also affect other bed time activities.

  • Researchers have found that those who watch more than twenty hours of TV a week

  • have on average a 44% reduction in sperm.

  • But perhaps the most significant findings relate directly to your lifespan.

  • Not only is there a documented correlation between

  • TV viewing time and risk for diabetes and heart disease

  • but as shocking as it might be multiple studies have found a correlation between

  • TV viewing time and all causes of death .

  • One study concluded that every hour spent in front of the TV

  • may cut as much as 22 minutes of your life.

  • Of course correlation does not equal causation

  • and you can have a healthy relationship with TV if consumed in moderation like anything else.

  • At the root of many of these claims is the physical inactivity associated with prolonged TV watching.

  • Ultimately the more you move, the more you live.

  • Be sure to check out our newest videos by clicking the screen or using the links in the description

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Whether you are watching an entire Netflix series in one sitting

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