Many things that were done for the development and benefit of man later began to cause harm. One such item is a television. It is an undeniable fact that television brings benefits, but its harm is also noticeable. Let's look at the pros and cons of watching TV. In order to reduce the negative impact, it is necessary to regulate the time you watch TV shows.
The harm of TV
Constantly watching television brings with it many difficulties. Let's figure out what the harm of TV is.
- Aimless waste of time. Many people watch television not to learn something new and interesting, but simply “out of nothing to do.” Watching advertisements, useless programs and TV series leads to the fact that in real life there is no time left to do something useful.
- Low level of TV broadcasts. The modern television business is not aimed at making people improve their educational level and strive for the best. The main themes of the silver screen today are sex, power, money, violence. Thus, a significant disadvantage of TV is the negative orientation of the programs.
- Decreased mental activity. It has been noticed that people who constantly sit in front of a screen lose the habit of thinking independently and making decisions. A person simply accepts ready-made information. In addition, the majority gets used to being like everyone else, accepting the lifestyle that is imposed on them.
- Consumer behavior. Another personality quality from which degradation begins. Constant advertising, videos, clips push their products and services. People buy unnecessary household items; money and things are most valued.
- Damage to health. In addition to the moral side, television is also harmful to health. A person who spends a lot of time in front of a screen often suffers from obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, decreased vision, and high blood pressure.
If we talk about the dangers of television for health, then long-term viewing is especially harmful to vision . Many people, and most often children, like to watch TV close up. This increases the possibility of vision loss by 75%.
It is impossible not to mention the harmful effects of the blue screen on the human psyche. Viewing negative information (armed conflicts, wars, tragedies, accidents) can awaken aggression, irritation, neuroses and fears in people.
Important! This perception of the world is especially harmful for the psyche of children and adolescents.
Harm from TV - which organs are affected?
The love for television has not disappeared in our time. Unfortunately, the price to pay for this addiction is very high, since first of all, the state of health worsens. Which organs are affected first?
- Eyes. TV is an eternal headache for ophthalmologists. Flickering screen forces eyes remain in constant voltage. Also observed lens changes, since the eyes always linger on one point. It is also important to make the right choice of a TV with a good screen refresh rate.
The effect of TV on the eyes - Spine. From permanent sitting at the TV deformed spine.
Damage to the spine from TV - Cervical region. Due to a sedentary lifestyle osteochondrosis appears.
Development of osteochondrosis due to incorrect postures while watching TV - Heart and blood vessels of the brain. Scientists have established a relationship between the duration of daily television viewing and the risk of death due to thrombosis in the cardiovascular system.
- Pancreas. Sitting in front of the TV, a person often eats large amounts of food, including sweets and snacks. As a result poor nutrition may develop diabetes.
Uncontrolled eating of snacks while watching TV
The deadly combination of inactivity and uncontrolled absorption of high-calorie foods will inevitably lead to obesity . Losing excess weight will be very difficult.
Harm from TV - cruelty and weakness
In recent years, the television program schedule has been filled with television films with aggressive content . Cruelty, blood and violence cause nervous disorders and overload the psyche of adults, not to mention children and teenagers. And if a parent can somehow control a small child, then what about a teenager? In general, can children watch TV and for how long?
Negative effects of TV on children
Every day a person receives a huge amount of information. This is a big burden for the brain and nervous system. That is why, by the time evening comes, many feel like a squeezed lemon. Fatigue and weak immunity are the eternal companions of the modern city dweller.
How cable TV works
The benefits of watching TV
The advantages of TV can be considered factors such as:
- news review;
- provision of information;
- entertainment and leisure;
- the opportunity to improve education and broaden your horizons;
- acquaintance with places or phenomena that a person cannot see otherwise.
Some of the listed points can be considered both advantages and disadvantages, depending on how you look at them. After work, a person needs rest, and the opportunity to watch programs while lying on the couch seems very attractive. But, on the other hand, this is also a disadvantage of the TV. For many people, this form of leisure becomes not only the most attractive, but also the only one.
There are benefits from watching television if you carefully select the programs according to their content and do not watch them too much. Communication with loved ones will be much more useful, as well as such forgotten activities as needlework, creativity, games, and walks together.
Important! Frequent screen time inevitably leads to low mobility, which means weight problems, muscle atrophy, obesity, and decreased immunity. Many people also like to watch TV while eating. This is a disadvantage because the quantity and quality of food is not controlled as it should be.
How much TV can you watch per day?
Adults, as well as children and teenagers, need to control themselves and not spend too much time in front of a screen. For children, constantly sitting in front of a monitor is especially harmful. It is difficult for an adult to set time limits or any restrictions. But still, you should not watch programs for more than 2 hours in a row without a break.
After taking a 4-5 hour break, you can watch an interesting program again. Thus, you can watch about 4 hours of programs a day. Neglecting these recommendations can cause fatigue, irritability, depression, headaches and eye pain.
Important! It was noticed that existing diseases intensify and become chronic with prolonged constant sitting at the monitor.
TV addiction affects cognitive function
American experts conducted not one, but several studies at once. They studied the brains of people who spend most of their time watching television. Their conclusions are disappointing - passive time spent watching TV negatively affects the volume of gray matter and cognitive abilities. Television fans are less capable of critical thinking and original solutions to everyday problems. They may also face early onset dementia.
University of Alabama professor Kelly Gabriel notes that the effect on the human body of such a component of a sedentary lifestyle as watching TV has not previously been thoroughly studied. The researchers decided to fill this gap and conducted a large-scale analysis. It affected almost 11 thousand people under sixty years of age. The research began back in 1987. Volunteers were constantly asked how many hours a day they spent watching TV.
Most volunteers' habits have not changed for thirty years. Participants in the experiment were tested on memory, language skills, and speed of information processing. The results obtained turned out to be more than indicative, and everything was put in its place.
How to watch TV without harm
Some useful recommendations will help you preserve your health.
- No need to watch TV close. The best distance is 2-3 meters.
- The equipment should not be located too low or high. For ease of viewing and visual comfort, the optimal position is at eye level.
- There is no need to watch programs in complete darkness or in too bright light. It's hard on the eyes. In the dark, you need to turn on a weak light, and in bright sunshine, close the curtains.
- It is not recommended to eat while watching. This is harmful to the stomach and the whole body. The emotional perception of what you see, excitement, contributes to more food intake and poorer digestion.
- In between programs, do some physical exercises and ventilate the room.
- Less harmful radiation comes from new TV models. Therefore, it would be wise to get rid of outdated equipment and purchase a new television receiver.
- When looking at the screen, you don’t need to look at one point all the time. It is more beneficial for the eyes to move your gaze across the monitor.
- Regulate your TV viewing time. Do not forget about other types of leisure, useful activities, walks in the air.
The TV itself is simply a transmitter of information and a means of entertainment. Its benefits and harms are determined by what and how to watch. A person can make it harmful by constantly watching and aimlessly spending time in front of the screen.
