The New Unhealthy Trend – Binge-Watching And Binge Eating!

INTRODUCTION

Are you a person interested in spending more time on a small screen? Are you a person who likes snacking in between movies? Are you a person who is eager to know the happenings of the next episode in a television series? Then you need to go through this.

A recent study concluded that binge-watchers are people who are most likely to spend most of their time in front of Television or any other streaming platform. In addition to it, they are most prone to snacking which eventually leads to binge eating. It is rightly said that anything that goes beyond the limit causes severe damage to the human body. People have been wrongly influenced that the only method of relaxation is watching television series in their leisure time.

BINGE EATING – BINGE-WATCHING IN GENERAL VIEW

Binge eating disorder (BED) is an event of excessive eating. People who are prone to these types of unhealthy habits are mostly young adults. Medical conditions associated with binge eating are obesity, diabetics, hypertension, and chronic pain. Whereas, binge-watching is the practice of excessive episodes of watching television series or any other streaming platforms. Usually found in the early 20s, where they are more attracted to unhealthy practices like binge-watching with a snacking habit which eventually leads to binge eating.

STREAMING PLATFORMS

The streaming platforms are providing people with access to almost all television shows and series. This encourages the teenagers to go the extra mile in completing a series. They are addicted to one single show at a time and watch the successive episodes even without any interval. Now, Osteopenia when it comes to eating, they eat while watching these series and they eventually lose focus on the food they eat or the amount they consume and concentrate on the series they are watching which leads to overeating and eventually overwatching.

CAUSES OF BINGE-WATCHING AND BINGE EATING

The main cause is depression, stress, anxiety that lead us to long for relaxation. Initially, all these watching habits start as a leisure time relaxation method, and later it leads to addiction and an unhealthy habit of binge-watching. The post-play feature in different streaming platforms plays a major role in this type of habit. The method of earning curiosity at the end of an episode to make us watch the next episode or to make the series more interesting also plays a major role in this unhealthy habit. People usually love snacking while watching television. This results in ill health. Binge eating also results from emotional causes.

EFFECTS OF BINGE-WATCHING AND BINGE EATING

Binge-watching affects a person in many unpredictable ways. It is the idleness that leads to type 2 diabetes. Over watching leads to irregular sleeping habits, insomnia, fatigue, poor diet, social isolation. It leads the way to mental health issues like depression, loneliness, anxiety and physical health issues like high risk of congestive heart failure. The dopamine release in the brain increases due to successive watching of the television series.

Binge eating leads to the accumulation of fat, which further leads to obesity, inflammation or any sort of digestive discomfort leading to bloating and constipation. This practice is usually triggered by stress, an inferior complex of one's own body, boredom, etc.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Binge-watching affects your mental health and there is a risk of orientation problems and cognitive decline. Binge-watching reduces the higher brain functions and increases the lower brain function. The frontal lobe becomes underdeveloped. It causes insomnia. Binge eating causes medical conditions like obesity, cholesterol, sleep apnea, heart diseases, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, etc.

Binge-watching and binge eating has both physical and mental illness in a person. Sometimes it becomes an addiction.

MANAGEMENT OF BINGE-WATCHING

The first and foremost thing you can do to control binge-watching is to allot time for yourself to watch your favorite series and most importantly sticking to it helps a lot to control these unhealthy practices. Do not provide all the eatables readily made, just take a while to prepare them in between the show, so that there will be some movement to the body. For instance, people love eating popcorn while watching movies. So prepare popcorn instantly in between movies by yourself so that you can also avoid the harmful effects of packers. Sometimes replacing television series with movies also works because series go endlessly for hours, episode by episode but the movie will not be more than 2 hrs and that helps you to get distracted from continuing. Soon after the movie, plan yourself with the next task so that you will be able to avoid binge-watching. Motivate yourself to have more physical activity than sitting idle in a place.

MANAGEMENT OF BINGE EATING

The main intent is to provide healthy dietary patterns. The management is also done to address any underlying Psychiatric issues. Psychotherapies are being practiced. This may include Cognitive behavioral therapy - helps in controlling the triggering factors like depression, inferior complex on one's body, Maintaining a good bond and social relationship with other people. Dialectical behavioral therapy - the method of tolerating stress, anxiety and also regulating one's emotions. Some of the lifestyle modifications like healthy eating habits and dietary patterns are to be maintained. Practice yoga and HIIT workouts on an everyday basis to avoid being overweight.

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT

Ayurvedic management is mainly based on the treadmill followed by a person. It is the highest modification in the daily regimen. Proper Vyayama (exercise), yoga asanas, Nidra (sleep) are the best way to avoid the ill effects of these unhealthy practices. Pathya Ahara and vihara should be maintained.

CONCLUSION

Stay connected, Stay active to avoid this new disaster entering your body system. Try socializing with people. Try spending your time productively and wisely. Also, incorporate healthy lifestyle methods. Anything that is beyond the limit leads to disease. So, stay controlled and practice a disciplined routine to stay healthy and happy. A healthful lifestyle leads to a happy life. Say no to sickly habits.