From couch potatoes to square eyes, we’ve most likely all been conditioned from a young age to believe that too much TV is a bad thing.
But is it, really?
Today is World Television Day, and delving into the health repercussions of the popular Netflix and Chill trend, it actually seems like it’s not all bad after all.
Netflix and Chill is a phrase that has become part and parcel of the linguistics of modern life, with the activity itself having become more popular than going out.
With the JOMO (joy of missing out) trend most likely having something to do with the vast range of media experiences now just a click away, some would say that that phenomenon has been at the expense of our social lives. Quite on the contrary, however, says a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, which found that settling in with a box set might actually yield CLOSER relationships and stronger emotional bonds.
Interestingly, watching the same programmes and sharing in the same "fictional social world" helps with something called "self-expansion" – where people incorporate aspects of their partner into their own personality, which in turn fosters feelings of closeness. This is important, as relationships are a very big contributor to our physical and psychological health. .
Added to this is the ‘hygge’ (cosy) element of the Netflix and Chill ritual, which can offer a sense of wellbeing and relaxation both through the escapist element of getting lost in a story, coupled with the physical advantages of rest and home comforts.
These findings might not take away from the advantages of an active, social lifestyle, but what they do make some headway with, is in overturning the busyness epidemic that’s wracking us with guilt every time we put our feet up! .
This World Television Day, we’re putting Netflix and Chill out there as a potential antidote to modern life and all its stresses and pressures. Stranger Things have happened, though...I’m sure! .