MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Binge-watching episodes of your favorite shows does no favors for your brain, an expert warns.
"It's important to recognize that the brain is not an isolated organ -- it responds to its environment," said Dr. Randall Wright, a neurologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. "When we binge-watch, we create an unhealthy environment for the brain because we're sitting for long periods of time, isolating ourselves from social activities and eating large amounts of unhealthy food."
Wright likens the instant gratification of watching episode after episode of a show to wanting to continue gambling even after you win.
If you indulge often, this cycle and the side effects of binge-watching can lead to harmful brain and body changes, he said in a hospital news release. In other words, it's a problem when watching a third, fourth or fifth episode of your favorite show replaces healthy activities, he said.
But here's the good news: You don't have to stop cold-turkey. There are a number of ways to ward off negative effects of binge-watching:
"If you incorporate these tips into your binge-watching routine," he concluded, "You can create lasting healthy habits and still enjoy the occasional binge-watching session without hurting your brain."
More information
The U.S. National Institutes of Health outlines the health risks of inactivity.