New Research

If You’re Feeling Stressed After Work, Skip the TV

People who arrived home stressed and then watched TV or played video games wound up feeling guilty about those activities

Rachel Nuwer

July 30, 2014

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Many working adults end their evening in the same way: sitting in front of the couch, watching TV or a movie, perhaps playing a video game. This seems like a sure-fire way to unwind and mentally check out after a long day of work. 

Researchers advise those who arrive home in an extra-stressed state, however, to skip the couch's cushiony invitation. As the Independent reports, a recent study of nearly 500 adult students and job-holders in the Netherlands found that those who reported feeling most fatigued or harried after work found no relief in front of the tube. Instead, the Independent writes, "they had high levels of guilt and feelings of failure." 

Beating themselves up, in turn, made them feel worse. While the researchers don't offer specific advice on what especially over-worked individuals should instead occupy themselves with after leaving the office, some stress-releaving physical exercise or silent meditation could perhaps bring more relief than a glowing screen. 

Rachel Nuwer | | Read More

Rachel Nuwer is a freelance science writer based in Brooklyn.