According to a 2009 report from Nielson, Americans are watching more TV than ever, with web and mobile video viewing on the rise, too. The average American watches approximately 153 hours of TV every month at home, which equates to over 5 HOURS A DAY! That is a lot of TV.
But most mind-boggling is that research shows that the happiest people actually spend 30 percent less time parked in front of the tube. Why? Probably because they are taking advantage of the great outdoors, participating in their favorite hobbies, or actually going out with friends – not watching a bunch of drunk idiots on TV. Okay, maybe we don’t actually know what people are doing, but once you start thinking about all the fun things you could be doing instead of sitting in front of the TV, doesn’t it make you want to do those things and turn off the time-sucking machine?
If you have children, there are even more reasons to turn off the tube. TV watching has been linked to increased risk of obesity, lower reading levels, lack of social development, aggression, and even attention-related problems in children.
School is almost out for the summer, so it’s more important than ever to set some TV-viewing guidelines in the home. Limit children’s screen time to one or two hours a day at most, and spend some time outdoors at parks, playgrounds, or just playing catch in the backyard. For more screen time guidelines and to see if your child watches too much TV, click here.
Whatever activity you choose to swap for TV, chances are it’s healthier than watching TV, and it just might make you happier, too!
