A serial marathon before bed does not affect sleep. This is the result of a new study from the German University of Freiburg in the journal “Sleep Medicine.” It was previously believed that arousal leads to sleep problems.
“We were very surprised by the results,” said study leader Björn Rasch. Excitement is actually associated with more sleep problems, a longer time to fall asleep or problems staying asleep. According to the current research, this only applies if the series ends with a cliffhanger. “After a cliffhanger, the time the study participants spent in deep sleep decreased,” explains Rasch.
Viewers feel stressed by cliffhangers
The effect was particularly pronounced in the first two sleep phases (approximately three hours). “But we expected a stronger effect,” Rasch said. In series that ended at the height of the action, the research team found, among other things, an accelerated heart rhythm or a higher cortisol level in the viewers.
For a good night’s sleep, the researchers therefore recommend stopping a series for a cliffhanger, or taking a short break between watching and sleeping.
Source: Krone
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