Don’t feel guilty for being lazy. Experts say there are some health benefits.

There is fun in being lazy. And believe it or not, there are some health benefits, too. Whether you’re flipping through episodes of your favorite show so you can exchange notes at the end with friends or bingeing on that relaxing flick you’ve watched a million times, you’ve inevitably found yourself prioritizing time relaxing on the couch over time spent ticking tasks off your list. It is estimated that in 2023, the majority of Americans will spend 2 hours and 33 minutes a day watching TV.

Taking a break to do something you find enjoyable can trigger the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamineWhich is associated with feelings of pleasure and happiness,” Sanam Hafeez, a licensed psychotherapist and director understand the mind In New York City, Yahoo Live says. There’s also a reason to rely on hanging out — whether you’re watching TV, getting lost in a book you can’t put down, or simply scrolling through cat memes on Instagram — to recharge and reduce exhaustion. But, as with anything, moderation is key.

Here’s what Hafeez and other experts and scientists have to say about the psychological benefits of relaxing on the couch—sometimes.

Number 1: Don’t feel guilty about hanging out

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the majority of Americans don’t exercise much, since more than that 60 percent of adults in the United States struggle with swiping Recommended daily activity amount. At the same time, hustle culture – which focuses on work above all else – can’t help but affect how we feel about finding time to relax. Slowing down and spending time watching loops Succession It may actually feel more like a guilty pleasure than something you can easily accept as part of your routine. “We are socialized from an early age that achievement should be paramount.” Lauren Cook, a psychologist based in Pasadena, tells Yahoo Live. “We equate productivity with value, and we think if we don’t produce, we’re going to fail. This is a systemic problem that many people struggle with.”

Colin Marshalla licensed marriage and family therapist and vice president of clinical care at Two chairs, agrees to tell Yahoo Life that if you’re not spending time on an activity that’s related to making progress on your goals, you’re letting yourself down. “The problem with that is we all need some way to de-stress and[take]breaks from this constant flow,” she explains, equating, for most people, relaxation time as relaxation time. Rest days for athletes. “They have a legs day, and then they don’t work the legs for a while. That’s how you really build muscle – to work and then get some rest.

Marshall admits that de-stressing activities, like watching TV or reading a book, may seem “unproductive” or like you’re wasting time, but they actually help you relax and recharge.

In other words, as Cook points out, “rest is productive.” “We have to limit ourselves to our rest time and say to ourselves, ‘I’m going to take this time, and I don’t need to choose to take on the guilt that may come with that.’” She says, “I’m going to take the rest of the night off.”

Number 2: There are many benefits to relaxation

Hanging out is not just a way to step back from work to rest and recharge. Hafeez notes that moderation is also an opportunity to enjoy a variety of psychological benefits.

So many perks to spending some time cuddling and catching up on your favorite show:

Promote creativity

“Rest and relaxation allow your mind to wander and make new connections,” Hafeez explains. “This can enhance creativity and innovative thinking.” For example, in a Study 2022Watching nature videos has been associated with the promotion of Alpha brain waveswhich are associated with relaxation, daydreaming, and creativity.

High mental ability

A 2020 study published in the journal Psychology and aging It found that older adults who spent more time sitting excelled on knowledge-based activities such as vocabulary, reading comprehension, and reasoning tasks. The researchers concluded that this may be due to the fact that sitting time is often also time spent on brain-stimulating activities, whether that be reading a non-fiction book or doing crossword puzzles.

Enhanced relationships

Whether you take time to engage in it And just like that… Or that new celebrity bio, you’ll benefit from relaxing in a way that ultimately nurtures communication with others, both in real time and in the future.

Unpleasant viewing can be a conversation starter. Jimmy Schenck DeWitt, a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Los Angeles, tells Yahoo Life. “You might see someone the next day, and say, ‘Did you see the last episode of?'” Succession? It was very good. “And you start talking, and you both get really excited. You might ask them, ‘What did you do with him?'”

In turn, discuss your shared experience It can lead to an increase in oxytocinIt’s an interconnected neurotransmitter, says DeWitt, which has anti-stress effects like lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels. “That way, it can be a positive experience for your whole body,” she says.

decreased fatigue

Work continuously without taking breaks It can lead to burnoutOn the other hand, finding time to detach from work-related stressors makes it possible to recharge your mental and emotional energy. That way, once you return to traditionally ‘productive’ tasks, you can approach them with renewed vigor.

Number 3: There is such a thing as too much loafing

Just as fatigue affects your health in general, the same goes for making too much time to hang out. For example, research has shown that the disease is moderate or severe depression is associated More TV and more screen time.

Too much sedentary behavior can also lead to a variety of health risks. For example, indicates the Centers for Disease Control Not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease, even for people who don’t have other risk factors, and it can boost your chances of developing other heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes from The second kind. The CDC adds that recommended physical activity can also reduce the risk of many types of cancer, such as breast, colon and uterine cancer.

In short, it is essential to ask yourself if you are feeling so relaxed that you are giving up behaviors that are integral to your overall health and well-being. DeWitt advises asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you binge-watch the inability to exercise, catch up with friends, and get enough sleep?

• Is it hindering your daily functioning and your ability to thrive?

• Are you using it as a tool or mechanism to avoid things in your life that you don’t want to deal with?

If any of the answers are yes, then it is probably recommended to cut back. When it comes to figuring out the ideal amount of time to spend hanging out, know that it’s not one size fits all, DeWitt explains. “(There’s a difference between) someone who has a busy week and is very productive and might say to themselves, ‘Sunday, I’m binge-watching this show, and I feel good about it’ vs. someone who was really avoidant (the ‘challenges’) in their lives, things piled up, and they didn’t They get their mail all week, and then, on Sunday, they say the same thing,” she says.

No. 4: Think conscious loafing

No matter what relaxing activity you choose to do during your break, it’s best to really do it, Marshall says. “If I were to watch an hour of Gilmore Girls, “I have to do it perfectly,” she recommends. “I have to be fully present in the moment, enjoying the show rather than thinking about my meeting tomorrow or the laundry I need to get done.”

In return, you will be Practice mindfulness, which can improve physical health, reduce stress and bring more joy and happiness into your life, she says. Ultimately, choosing to fully engage in any stress-relieving activity can leave you feeling fulfilled and better than you did before watching your favorite show or reading your current book, Marshall says. “When we feel better, we are more productive and successful,” she concludes.