Anyone who suffers from anxiety will know that calming yourself down when you’re a jittery, nervous wreck can be way easier said than done.
But according to experts, there’s a trick that’s proven to fast-track your way to chill-town: binge on trashy TV.
“When we watch television, we’re generally watching things that bring us pleasure or are interesting to us,” Richard Shuster, PsyD and host of The Daily Helping Podcast tells Greatist.
“When we engage in activities which bring us pleasure and promote enjoyment, there are numerous psychological and physiological benefits including stress reduction. Watching fun and light-hearted programs such as comedies are a good example of this.”
The technique even comes complete with celebrity endorsement.
On the set of the new psychological thriller Mother! Jennifer Lawrence set up a ‘Kardashian tent’ to keep her sane between takes.
“It was a tent that had pictures of the Kardashians and Keeping Up With The Kardashians playing on a loop – and gumballs,” she told Vogue. “My happy place.”
But before you take a leaf out of J-Law’s book, keep in mind there are downsides to curbing your anxiety with telly. If you’re watching the box at night or falling asleep while viewing, it can have negative effects on your sleep cycle, which Shuster says can “result in increased emotional distress, including anxiety.”
Noted.
This article originally appeared on Women’s Health Australia.
