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This Is What Binge-Watching TV Does To Your Brain And Body

The weather is dreary, we’re still skint from Christmas and we’ve got Netflix, BritBox, Amazon Prime and now a new series of Love Island to choose from. Yep, we’re well and truly into binge-watching season.

But while we love a good marathon TV session, the desire to watch “just one more episode” before bed can spiral. Earlier this month, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy confirmed it knew of three patients in the UK being treated for “binge-watching addiction”.

So when does binge-watching go from harmless entertainment to addiction, and what impact is it really having on our brains and bodies?

GP Dr Paul Stillman explains that binge-watching can have a very real effect on our hormones, which can in turn impact our mental health and wellbeing.

“Binge-watching TV can create a ‘high’ then a significant emotional downturn when we’ve finished watching,” he says. The high is caused by the production of chemicals such as dopamine which are released during any pleasurable activity – and that includes watching your favourite TV show.

“When binge-watching TV your brain is continually producing dopamine. You experience something like an addiction as your brain starts to create it. Simply getting immersed in the lives of characters, story lines and caring what happens in a TV show can become addictive.”

If you’re ditching friends and family or cancelling social engagements to watch a boxset, it can be a sign you’re becoming too reliant on that “high”, he adds. Other signs to be aware of included snacking rather than cooking meals and not sleeping as well.

Dr Roger Henderson, a GP and UK medical director of Liva Healthcare, says there’s “mounting evidence that heavy binge-watching may have an impact on our health” – particularly when it comes to sleep. “Electronic screens emit blue light which can impact on our production of melatonin – a key hormone involved in getting a good night’s...

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