“You get a show or a movie you're really dying to watch and you end up staying up late at night, so we actually compete with sleep. And we’re winning!” These were the words spoken by Reed Hastings, business tycoon and CEO of Netflix, when he declared sleep as their enemy.
Netflix is easily one of the most popular streaming services of the 21st century. As the company’s popularity skyrocketed, it hired numerous behavioral psychologists tasked to keep the audience as hooked as possible on their content—so much so that the viewing experience has become compelling enough to convince the audience to forgo sleep. Now more than ever, watching Netflix has become one of the go-to hobbies when people need to destress. And when done in moderation, it can improve one’s well-being. Unfortunately, many go far beyond the recommended hours of watch time for reasons such as these, and wind up experiencing the negative effects of binge-watching—yet would remain completely in the dark as to what causes their bingeing-induced struggles. In light of this, here are three such negative effects.
Binge-watching on Netflix can give rise to a variety of health problems, the most common of which are sleep disorders. While it may seem like an ideal way to unwind, being faced with a show’s imagery, plotline, and drama often leaves one’s mind more active than relaxed. This form of mental stimulation, called “pre-sleep arousal,” gets in the way of sleep—rendering individuals unable to achieve a good rest. When this becomes habitual, it is likely that one would develop a sleep disorder—and research has shown that individuals with sleep disorders are more susceptible to numerous illnesses because of the toll it takes on their immune systems.
Binging impacts not only physical health but mental health as well. Besides being an avenue for relaxation, it can also be a form of escapism—a detrimental way of coping with negative emotions through “escaping” or distracting oneself from these emotions. Studies show that the more lonely an individual is, the more likely they are to binge-watch. This is because dopamine, which enhances feelings of happiness and pleasure, is produced when one is engaged in an enjoyable activity like binge-watching. The production of dopamine causes a drug-like high, encouraging continuous engagement in whatever activity caused its release. This can lead to excessive watching, which will only cause feelings of isolation and low mood within already depressed and lonely individuals, while bringing about a lack of self-control, thus prompting a downward spiral.
Finally, binge-watching can bring about a decline in memory and language abilities. A United Kingdom based study called the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) observed two groups of people: those who watched over three hours of TV per day, and those who didn’t. After six years of data collection, the researchers found that those who watched more than 3 hours of TV a day suffered a decline in verbal memory double the percentage of those who didn’t.
While it is true that Netflix competes with sleep, the company’s ultimate goal remains the same as most other companies, and that is to increase the amount of time people spend on their platform. Ultimately, however, the decision of how much time one spends on binge-watching remains with the individual. Hence, it is essential to gain a better understanding of the mental and physical impacts of over-indulging in seemingly innocuous activities such as binge watching. After all, our health is on the line.
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