10:00 pm–you’re curled up on the couch, the lights are faint, and the “Next Episode” button tantalizes you. You should go to bed, but you tell yourself just one more, and then another, and another–four hours later, and you’re still glued, fully enticed by the story. We’ve all been there, binge-watching through tomorrow, but is it as bad as we think? In a world of doom-scrolling and one-minute dopamine boosters, we’re often told, more than we’d like, that our generation can’t focus, but binge-watching tells a different story. We can pay attention, sometimes for hours, without losing focus. We care about what we’re watching, and the hours spent on the Netflix home screen trying to find the perfect show prove that. Binge-watching doesn’t ruin our focus, it strengthens it by helping us stay mentally engaged, supporting short-term memory, and helping reduce distractions.

A 2021 study by the Psychology of Popular Media shows that when binge-watchers are deeply transported into narratives, they show a boost in focus. By watching several episodes in a row, compared to doing it weekly, people are more likely to recall plot details, significantly improving short-term memory beyond the screen. By bingeing complex storylines with rabbit holes of plot, we are not only making the show easier to understand and enjoyable, but also inadvertently helping our brain better process dozens of pieces of information over time. Moreover, as stated by Britannica, because viewers tend to silence notifications and avoid multitasking, they build a habit of avoiding distractions, staying fully immersed. Named by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this is widely known in psychology as the “flow state,” when people are fully absorbed in an activity and distractions fade away. This further enhances concentration, not only when streaming, but in everyday tasks as well. Together, these three factors show that binge-watching isn’t as bad as we think; it helps instead of harming us.

As with anything, there is a limit. Some argue that watching continuously for hours without breaks comes with serious consequences, negatively impacting physical health and leading to poor sleep and fatigue, as shown in a 2017 study by Exelmans and Van de Bulck. This is particularly true when you’re drawn into a narrative well into the night, like the previous example. Similarly, while watching shows that others have experienced can foster a sense of community, especially with social media, critics argue that treating it as a means to escape stress and responsibilities, while avoiding time with those actually around you, may lead to increased feelings of depression and loneliness after long sessions. However, because these effects reflect how binge-watching is misused, not the leisure itself, it doesn’t apply to everyone. Ironically, some claim bingeing can also make the show less enjoyable since the brain has less time to reflect and process information between episodes, which Britannica says can reduce memory and long-term enjoyment. But this usually happens when watching without breaks at all, which isn’t the case for most of us, hopefully. Likewise, you know that feeling after just finishing a spectacular show? You want to turn back time just so you can experience it once again–you feel empty, even depressed. This might seem like a flaw, but it’s actually proof of an emotional connection, one that allows us to reflect more deeply on the stories we hold close. So, although concerns and drawbacks exist, they’re often exaggerated and don’t outweigh the cognitive and emotional benefits outlined.

Binge-watching has a lot of benefits that we often overlook, but it also comes with severe consequences. To truly benefit, however, we need to be intentional. Don’t just log on to your favorite streaming service in the middle of the night and nestle under your blanket for the next three hours–be mindful about how much you watch, but also how you want to experience a series. As we mentioned earlier, going overboard leads to fatigue, loss of enjoyment, and loneliness. Britannica recommends taking breaks to allow the brain to stay engaged without risking burnout–maybe go for a short walk around your house, or lie in your bed and contemplate your life choices, either works. Stop hiding in your dimly lit room and make binge-watching social! Watch with your family or friends, or even talk about the plot afterward. You don’t have to suffer the death of a character by yourself, you know? Doing so also helps strengthen focus as it requires active recall to remember all those characters and plot details. Finally, binge-watching isn’t everything; balance it with other activities outside of your screen, catch up with friends or family, read, or go exercise. When binge-watching is intentional and perfectly fits into your lifestyle, it not only helps us focus but also makes the stories that we rush through actually meaningful.

There’s something about binge-watching that’s so alluring, so powerful. Maybe it’s being fully lost in a story, the nights when the world fades with all the responsibilities you have in this world, or maybe it’s those evenings you spend with your friends, anticipating and hanging on to every bit of a character’s journey, whatever it maybe be, it leaves a mark–the shows we pick, and the characters we choose to represent play an unnoticed, significant role in our lives. Yes, it’s not perfect, yes, it’s an emotional, miserable rollercoaster, yes, it leaves you with physical strain, but with balance, breaks, and social connection, it becomes less of a guilty pleasure and more of a tool, a tool that can help us reflect, concentrate, and connect with stories into our lives. So let’s embrace binge-watching, let’s find that perfect balance between choice and satisfaction.