We've all had those days where we just want to lie down and do as little movement as possible, watching episode after episode of our favourite box set because we're tired or bored, but it turns out that scientists want to ruin that on us too.
According to research from the University of Texas at Austin that looked at the behaviour of 319 millennials, binge-watching TV shows is not great for your mental health, as it is linked to feelings of loneliness and depression.
The research asked the group, which consisted of people aged 18-29, about their binge-watching habits, as well as asking if they ever dealt with feelings of loneliness or depression, and whether or not they felt that they could control themselves. The results showed that those who binge-watched were more likely to be depressed, although they do not prove that the habit causes depression, something the researchers were keen to point out.
However, Yoo Hi Sung, one of the authors of the study, said that binge-watching should no longer be considered harmless fun anymore: "When binge-watching becomes rampant, viewers may start to neglect their work and their relationships with others. Even though people know they should not, they have difficulty resisting the desire to watch episodes continuously".
They did add however, that there are worse addictive behaviours than binge-watching, but that the stats should still be kept in mind the next time you whip out that 17 DVD box set you've been meaning to watch.
Via i100
