Does Watching Too Much Junk TV Effect Your Brain?

Watching TV is a passive activity. You sit there on the couch while information and entertainment are feed to you. You exert little to no effort making it a relaxing and enticing activity to participate in for hours on end. But in recent years, studies have come out detailing the significant damage it does to your brain. It turns out Mom and Dad were right. Watching too much television does fry your brain, costing you your memory, IQ, and more.

The psychology behind watching television and the mind

TV addiction sounds silly, but it is a real thing. American Association for the Advancement of Science says, “Scientists have traditionally confined their use of the term addiction to substances that clearly foster physical dependence. That’s changing, however. New knowledge suggests that, as far as the brain is concerned, a reward’s a reward, regardless of whether it comes from a chemical or an experience.” As you get satisfaction from your favorite show, it is easy to continue that behavior. This is why producers love cliffhangers because it will keep you watching episode after episode.

Watching too much TV lowers your IQ and cognitive function

People who enjoy television probably have that one show that they have to watch each week. Even if it is a rerun, it’s become a part of their routine or way of relaxing. That’s all fine and well, except when it gets to the point of binge-watching. Especially nowadays, with various TV streaming services, they make it all too easy and well. For the health of your brain, limit watching TV. According to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry, those that watched excessive amounts of television had a higher chance of cognitive aging before middle age.

Another study looked at the results for children and teens’ cognitive function. Researchers Oystein Hernaes, Simen Markussen, and Knut Roed documented their findings in their paper Television, Cognitive Ability, and High School Completion. They found that higher exposure to commercial television affected males to the point where it interfered with graduating from high school. Watching TV in moderation will allow you to enjoy entertainment without sacrificing your education.

Social effects

Of all the genres of television, reality TV is the hardest to ignore. Similar to driving past a car crash, it is hard to resist the urge to look at what happened. Seeing real people spiral out of control makes you reflect on yourself. You start to compare yourself to those on TV and feel better. The issue becomes when that behavior moves off the couch and into the school or office. Some believe that watching too much reality TV can make you a more spiteful person.

Memory side effects

Reading is a mental activity that strengthens your brain. Think of all the details you have to pay attention to when reading a book versus watching TV. Both require you to follow a plotline, but paying attention to the tiny details are what separate the two. When you read, you have to remember what the protagonists and antagonists look like, their location, and their relationships. All of these details are something you create in your mind versus watching a television show that feeds that information to you. Also, the plot line of a show tends to be less complicated than that of a book. A show has 30 minutes to an hour to give you a story, while a book is limitless!

Book recommendations

Are you getting back in touch with your bookworm self? If you’re a bit out of touch with some of the best reads out there, have we have a whole library of book recommendations for you. Everything from business books to children’s classics. Take a look for yourself!

Want to maintain or increase your intelligence? Then you must beat the addiction and watch less TV. You can always get your entertainment from print media, the web, or on social media outlets.

Lesson learned

If you are overwhelmed by all the books on your new to-read list, it sounds like a speed reading course is right for you. Our Speed Reading Foundation Course will teach you how to increase your reading speed. Additionally, you’ll learn strategies to enhance your comprehension. When you sign up for this five-hour course, you’ll have lifetime access to the 16 instructional videos and a PDF copy of 30 Tips to Improve Your Memory to have in your back pocket whenever you need a refresher.

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