Too Much TV?

We can all sit down and watch TV when we don’t want to do something that we know we should be doing. Have you ever had to clean your room and instead turn the TV on for “background noise” and end up watching more TV than cleaning your room? We all do it, but is it really the best thing for your brain? Can it lead to some harmful effects in the long run?

                There are two types of brain waves produced within your brain. One kind is Beta waves, which are produced when you are thinking logically. The other kind is Alpha waves, which are produce when we are in a relaxing state, such as when we are meditating or watching TV.  While watching TV, you don’t have to do much logical reasoning because the show gives it straight to you, causing your body and brain to go into a relaxation mode. However when you are reading a book or a magazine, you are more likely to read it and then think about what they are actually trying to say, causing your brain to be in a more active mode.

                In 1969, an experiment was conducted to test this hypothesis, and the results came back showing that in less than one minute, the brain starts to slow down, and starts producing Alpha waves. Then just as quickly as it slows down, it speeds back up when you pick up a book or magazine.  Another finding from the experiment is when you are watching TV, the parts of your brain that are normally in charge of logical thinking tune out and stop working at that moment.

                Other, more specific ways watching TV has harmful effects your brain is it can decrease your attention span, it can cause impaired brain development in children during their critical growing period and believe it or not, it can actually rot your brain. We have all heard out parents say “get away from the TV, it’s going to rot your brain cells”, however studies show that it can gradually decrease the neural pathways. For this reason, reading is called exercising your brain. By doing this you are reopening those neural pathways and even making new ones.

                Even if all you do is turn off the TV for an hour or two a day and read, sing or whatever hobby you have, it can lead to increased life expectancy. Researchers aren’t 100% sure why watching TV increases your risk of death, however it could be because decreasing your brain cells leads to degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.