I know this isn't something that will make me sound particularly
cultured, erudite or even mature, but I have a secret passion for re-run
comedies. I have a few favorite shows that I love to watch over and
over. When I'm feeling stressed, I know that exercise or meditation will
relieve my stress in the short run and build resilience in the long
run, but sometimes I'm more likely to climb in bed and watch a re-run,
them emerge from my cocoon with more energy and patience.
It's true.
If you're someone who also finds
yourself doing this, or if you're completely perplexed by why I would
enjoy this, I have some interesting news for you. It turns out
that research sheds some light on why people are drawn to this type of
stress relief, and it makes sense. Apparently, it's all about
replenishing our energy reserves with a little low-stress, soothing
"social" time.
Two studies published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science analyzed
the relationship between television habits and task completion, and the
results suggest an explanation as to why this practice works for me. In
the first study, researcher Jayne Derrick, PhD. examines two groups of
subjects. One group who is completing a difficult, structured task, and a
second group who is completing a neutral task. The groups were then
divided into two again, with one group describing their favorite
television show and the other group listing items in the room (another
"neutral" task). Those who wrote about their favorite show (rather than
listing items in their room) wrote for longer if they had done the
structured task than if they had done the less-structured task.
What this means, Derrick says, is that these
participants were seeking out their favorite TV shows and they wanted to
spend more time thinking about them. Derrick also asserts that writing
about their favorite television show restored their energy levels and
allowed them to perform better on the difficult puzzles they were asked
to complete.
In the second study, participants kept a daily log in which they
reported on their daily tasks requiring effort, their media consumption
and their energy levels each day. If they had to do
energy-consuming tasks, they were more likely to seek out a re-run of
their favorite television show, to re-watch a favorite movie or to
re-read a favorite book. Doing so, then restored their energy levels.
"In
other words, there was a measurable restorative effect from a familiar
fictional world," Derrick asserts via a press release.
A key
finding here is that people found that watching a re-run of a favorite
show restored their energy levels, allowing them to do more afterward.
Another important point to note is that it was re-runs, not merely
interesting viewing, that tended to make a difference.
"The
restorative effect I found is specific to re-watching favorite
television shows (or re-watching favorite movies or re-reading favorite
books)," Derrick says. "Just watching whatever is on television does not
provide the same benefit. And perhaps surprisingly, watching a new
episode of a favorite television show for the first time does not
provide the same benefit."
She says that there is something about
the "social surrogacy" of watching favorite characters, and there is a
relaxing element to already knowing what will happen. In this way,
re-watching a favorite television show can provide a less stressful
encounter than real-life social encounters that may include conflict or
other unknown potential energy drains.
"Although there are
positive outcomes to social interaction such as a sense of feeling of
being energized," says Derrick, "human exchanges can also produce a
sense of rejection, exclusion and ostracism, which may diminish
willpower."
These findings add to the ongoing debate over whether television is a stress reliever, cause of stress, or neutral activity,
and provides us with some guidelines for how television may be used as a
stress reliever for the right circumstances and goals, without becoming
an overall time drain. It also explains why many of us sometimes prefer
a favorite old movie or t.v. re-run to the latest episodes or
blockbusters.
"Based on my research, I would argue that watching
television is not all bad. While there is a great deal of research
demonstrating that violent television can increase aggression, and
watching television may be contributing to the growing obesity epidemic,
watching a favorite television show can provide a variety of benefits,
which may enhance overall wellbeing," she says.
She also has other
findings from her research. "I have found, for example, that favorite
television shows can actually increase people's pro-social behavior.
Specifically, after thinking about a favorite television show, people
are more willing to forgive others, are more willing to help a stranger
and are more willing to sacrifice for their romantic partner," she says.
So sometimes when we feel drained from too much stress or a lifestyle that is too busy,
we just need to baby ourselves and allow ourselves those simple
pleasures like t.v. re-runs. Are there more effective stress relievers
out there? Sure. (Exercise and meditation both come to mind, as they
build resilience and enhance overall health.) However, if you find
yourself shying away from stress relievers that require a greater level
of effort or practice, it's entirely okay to indulge in simple pleasures
like these, especially if used in moderation. Below are some other
simple stress relievers that can restore energy when you feel drained,
relieve stress in an easy way, or just bring a smile to your face when
you need it.
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S.
Stress Management Expert
