Break The Binge-Watching Habit
Why You Should Pick Up A Book Instead Of Turning On Netflix
Sure, everyone has a few favourite shows; and who doesn’t love binge-watching a beloved series for hours on end. With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time to catch up on your Netflix watch list with awesome shows like Gossip Girl, Stranger Things, and Orange Is The New Black.
But believe it or not, lazily sitting in front of a screen all day will get old after a while. But will you have enough summer left once you’ve caught up on all your favourite programs?
Luckily, we have a great alternative to watching Netflix: picking up a book! You’re probably still recovering from your most recent semester at college, and you don’t even want to think about opening up a novel. But you may soon realize you actually enjoy reading for fun. Summer is short, so don’t waste it locked inside. Here are some reasons why you should stop being a couch potato, and start acting like a bookworm.
Books Allow For Endless Imagination
It’s always fun to see beloved storybook characters come to life on the big screen. But a live-action adaption of a book often leaves little room for imagination. Of course, movies and shows are great and directors usually make good selections, but sometimes their choices just seem wrong. What if the main character is a horrible actor? Or what if the character doesn’t look exactly how you imagined? When you watch your favourite book come to life on screen, you must watch the story through the director and producers’ eyes, which can really ruin the experience.
But when you read a book, you get to make all the choices based on your imagination. You can imagine the characters to look and sound exactly how you feel they should look and sound. Also, you can be the judge of how every setting in the story should look. The only limit is your imagination, meaning your book can be as exciting as you want!
Reading Stimulates Your Brain
We get it–school end and you want to relax before the next semester starts. While that’s all fine, you don’t want your brain turning to mush over the next 3 months. But sitting in front of your laptop or TV screen and stuffing your face with snacks certainly won’t help the situation.
Reading helps improve your memory, vocabulary, concentration, and writing skills. Meanwhile, Netflix dumb things down for you by providing a recap at the beginning of every episode to remind you of exactly where you left off, making it easy for you to not even focus on or remember what you just saw. When you get invested in a book, the book captivates you and commands your full attention. Books also teach you how to focus on one thing and avoid distractions. With a book in your hands, you have to concentrate on the words on the pages that you read and cancel out any outside nuisances that may ruin your experience.
The Book Is (Almost Always) Better Than The Movie
Let’s face it—the book is almost always superior to the movie or TV show. How many times have you watched your favourite book on the big screen just to find out the film didn’t do the story justice? Yes, it’s exciting to see a book “brought to life” on a screen, but it usually falls flat because there isn’t enough time to cover all of the details. Director will often cut scenes from the story to stay within a reasonable running time. No one wants to sit through a six-hour movie just to get every last detail, but you can pick up a 500-page book and get all the juicy details you need.
Picking Up a Book Won’t Affect Your Sleep Patterns
More studies continue to emerge detailing the harmful effect of screens on our health. Constantly looking at a screen, especially when you keep it close to your face, may keep you awake at night, which can cause serious sleep problems. The screen emits a light that will keep you feeling awake and prevent your brain from calming down. Also, all the voices and music may stay in your head and affect your sleep and overall health.
On the other hand, curling up with a book in your hands will keep you comfortable and relaxed. When you read a book before bed, concentrating on the words and flipping all the pages will help you destress and calm you down. Your eyes will grow heavier, and there will be no light directly in your eye to prevent you from sleeping.
Books Are Inexpensive Alternatives to Netflix
One of the most obvious reasons to open a book rather than turning on Netflix is the amount of money you’ll save. Netflix knows how to reel you in with that 1-month free trial, but do you really want to deal with a monthly fee once you get hooked on all the shows and movies? While the most basic plan seems pretty affordable (around $8.99 per month), this adds up to over $100 for just one year.
And the more TV and movies you watch, the harder it will be for you to quit. Wouldn’t you rather spend your hard-earned money on fun summer activities with your friends? You can save some money by visiting your local library for an endless supply of free books to keep you entertained for hours every day.
Spend Your Summer With A Book Instead Of A Screen
All in all, it’s fun to watch Netflix but picking up a book is just so much better. It’s more rewarding, more affordable, and most of all, more fun. With that said, it’s time to get reading. Rather than picking up your laptop and watching whatever the popular show is now, go to your local library or bookstore and pick good a book to pick up for hours of entertainment. There are mountains of books out there for everyone! So ditch your Netflix account, pick up a book, and jump into an exciting new adventure.