5 days ago
The healthy couch potato: Simple tricks to watch for hours and still feel great
Let's be honest, for some of us, when the weekend hits, the outside world fades. A new season of our favourite series drops on OTT, your friends won't stop raving about the latest Korean drama, and suddenly, the couch becomes your kingdom. You've got the remote, the softest blanket, and a bold eight-hour immersion is blissful BUT it's not. By Monday, you're suffering from a stiff neck, you have itchy eyes, and a guilty memory of that snack packet on the coffee table. You're not alone. According to a 2023 BMC Public Health study, nearly 63% of urban Indians spend more than three hours a day on screens for entertainment, with a notable rise in posture-related health Rajesh Misra, a Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, warns: 'Prolonged sitting without breaks puts the same strain on your spine as manual labour, just in a different form. This can lead to chronic back and neck pain.'
But here's the good news: you can have the marathon and skip the actual health misery. With a few small tweaks... no, you won't need to 'hit the gym' especially due to a weekend binge. Instead, you could convert this to become a surprisingly healthy self-care smart and smart snacksThe real big binge-watching trap is the mindless snacking that accompanies it. The fix isn't denial, but it's smarter swaps you can grab without moving. A big bowl of roasted makhana (fox nuts), crunchy, light, and antioxidant-rich, is a great choice for such an occasion. Then there is roasted chana (chickpeas) to keep hunger at bay, or a fruit chaat which is sweet, tangy, and considered good for this is not you, try a Greek yogurt with nuts and a drizzle of honey. Taste bhi, health can be a reset; don't ignoreThose end credits are gold. Don't skip these, rather spend a minute stretching without leaving your seat. Start with easy-to-do neck rolls to ease screen-time stiffness. Then comes the subtle shoulder shrugs to release tension that may have built up when you were enjoying the you are relaxed, dive into an overhead stretch to lengthen your spine. All of these simple exercises take 60 hydrate, hydrateMake this your mantra, even when you are not binge-watching: Dehydration causes headaches, fatigue, and snack cravings. Keep it simple: Infuse water with cucumber and mint, or lemon and ginger for flavour. Keep the bottle right next to you — no No problemThat curled-up, hunched-over posture due to your posture while watching? A fast track to back pain. But you can get it fixed in no time. Place a small cushion or rolled-up towel in the small of your back for instant lumbar support. It is one quick fix that lasts the entire season.20-20-20 rule for the eyesScreen glare in a dark room is a sure shot case for eye strain. Opthalmologists have advised that every 20 minutes, one should look at something that is atleast 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You could also try to use boring dialogues to sneak it in this eye care routine. No pausing required and (bonus) your eyes will still thank you!advertisementNo wrecking your sleep Late-night marathons can ruin sleep thanks to blue light, but you don't have to do that. Switch on 'Night Mode' or 'Blue Light Filter' on your TV, laptop, or phone. The warmer screen tint helps your brain wind down THIS MATTERS?It can be very tempting to shrug off a weekend of binge-watching on the couch as harmless. However, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has linked this prolonged sedentary behaviour to a 28% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 32% higher risk of obesity. It's not just about weight gain; but such marathons, if not done the right way, can quietly affect muscle strength, flexibility, and most times even your mental Meenakshi Jain, a Delhi-based physiotherapist, agrees. 'We call it the 'OTT Syndrome' in the clinics. This condition is a mix of neck stiffness, combined with lower back pain, and eye strain brought on by hours of binge-watching without movement.'advertisementThese aren't warnings meant to spoil your weekend fun but a reminder that small, smart choices can protect your health without taking away the joy.- Ends
