Does Watching TV Make You Depressed?
Not only is being a couch potato detrimental to your weight loss efforts, long periods of television watching has been linked to your moods, and it could be leaving you depressed.
According to the Daily Mail, a study has found that watching two or more hours of TV a day is linked to depression, anxiety, and stress.
The research indicates 77% of people watching at least two hours of television each day, while 35% remain in suspended animation for more than two hours every day.
The question that remains to be answered, however, is this. Is watching television making people depressed, or does being depressed lead to more television viewing? It isn't clear exactly which is the cause, and which is the effect.
It makes sense. People generally feel better the more active they are. Conversely, the less active ones tend to feel sluggish, less energetic, unmotivated, and unhappy. Being more active and less sedentary will make you feel better -- and will make you feel better about yourself, which, in turn, will make you happier.
Of course, what we are watching on TV could also be affecting our state of mind, regardless the amount we are watching. Watching the evening news, the Broncos losing, and all the political debates could make anyone depressed.