Nearly every night after a long day of work, many Americans like to sit down in front of their televisions and enjoy their favorite shows. Research has shown that the average American watches as much as six hours of television per day. Watching TV is a fun way to relax, but it can also have detrimental effects on one’s health, relationships, and mind.
The TV-watching  lifestyle that many American have adopted is a sedentary one. Spending hours sitting and being inactive can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is associated with many health conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Sitting too close to the screen and staring at it for a long time can cause eye damage, and watching in a dark room can strain one’s eyes. Also, many people tend to eat junk food while they watch TV, which negatively impacts their health.
TV shows may replace or take away from people’s real life relationships. Fans of shows can become so absorbed and immersed in their glowing TV screens that they neglect their real relationships. People would rather watch TV than spend time with their loved ones. Too much TV can prevent people from connecting with each other and cause them to become isolated.
Watching TV can have adverse effects on one’s mind. Studies have shown that people who watch TV for more than three hours per day are more likely to perform poorly on cognitive tests than people who watch little TV. Increased TV time is also associated with slower processing of information, poorer memory, and smaller attention span.
Many Americans could stand to spend less time in front of their TV screen and more time being active and exercising, connecting with friends and family, and improving their minds. TV is not necessarily bad unless it is used in excess. It is recommended that watching TV should be limited to no more than two hours per day. Finding a balance is what is important in living a happy, healthy, fulfilling lifestyle.