All Work & No Play Makes Your Amygdala a Dull Boy
When Entertainment is Too Much Effort
You drop onto your sofa after a long day and turn on Netflix. You flip to some show you started a couple days ago and it immediately sucks you in. Your jaw clenches with suspense, your heart beats faster and your brow furrows. That protagonist is so oblivious, and their life just keeps falling apart.
Your head starts buzzing with snippets of a conversation with an irritated customer. Bits of dialogue from the show flit in and out. Did they have to leave each episode on a cliffhanger? What did your boss really think of your presentation today? So much for unwinding, now you’re more frazzled than when you started.
Has that ever happened to you?
Because it’s happening to me. You see, I’m part of 69% of people right now who are experiencing WFH burnout. Here’s a quick and dirty summary of the science of burnout.
First of all, let me introduce you to two almondine cell clusters at the base of your brain, “Hello amygdala!”
They would answer but they’re busy processing stress. If they work too hard they’ll get enlarged. And an enlarged amygdala has weaker connections to other structures in your brain. Most notable are these two structures:
- The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) which helps down-regulate stress.
- The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) which helps with executive functions. Or as I like to call them “the get sh*t done functions.”
“ Voila, burnout: You’re always stressed and you can’t get sh*t done.”
Then the unregulated negative emotions come back and work your amygdala some more. A vicious cycle repeats. Voila, burnout.
What does that have to do with TV? Well, good TV knows how to stroke your amygdala.
There’s something else that will activate the amygdala on a MRI: empathy.
Viewing another person in pain can be as distressing as experiencing stress first-hand. Its a human characteristic that engrossing TV shows love to play into to get you invested in a character. Its what sends you reeling when your favorite character experiences loss or conflict. Its what makes the story good.
Which may be why watching my usual shows hasn’t had the re-charging effect I wish it would. I’ve been rewarding my brain’s hard day’s work with an evening of … yet more hard work.
But the good news is I’ve found a loophole to my TV rut and I’d like to share it with you.
Hear me out: well-made kids’ shows.
They’re interesting but not overstimulating. I don’t have to worry about gore, jump scares or challenging themes. Plus, I friggin’ love animation.
Still with me?
Here are 3 adult-consumable kids’ shows matched to their grown-up genre counter parts. The formula: indulge your taste but turn down the intensity for the sake of your hard working brain.
#1 Trollhunters
IF you, like, Guillermo del Toro, share a love of all things grotesque that go bump in the night.
THEN take a break from life and sojourn in the world of Trollhunters. In trademark del Toro style, there’s an underground otherworld waiting for you. Soon you feel more at home with the monsters than the humans.
#2 Race to the Edge
IF you love the strategic tit-for-tat of Sherlock and Moriarty.
THEN watch Hiccup match wits against a ruthless dragon hunter in this How to Train Your Dragon spin-off. I love watching a protagonist try to get two steps ahead of a villain only to find out they played right into their hands. This show had enough twists to keep me guessing but not stressed, and also rooting for Hiccup all the way. He’s an awkward teen with a pet dragon coming into his own as a leader. What’s not to love?
#3 Gravity Falls
IF you like Twin Peaks, the X-Files, and every time a stranger arrives in a small town where things are just a little bit …”off”.
THEN joinDipper, Mabel and Grunkle Stan in Gravity Falls, Oregon, a town full of mysterious happenings and supernatural creatures. This show is so full of conspiracy-juice that it’s acquired a cult following devoted to uncovering all its Easter Eggs. Sound familiar?
Dear reader, have you been feeling burnt out lately?
Its not just you, I promise. We’re all figuring this thing out together.
Between your WFH work, homework and housework, do you only get an hour of down time? If so, try de-stressing with some family friendly content.
You could relax with your own brood of tiny humans (Bonus: they might settle down for 30 min). Or you could sit down on the couch with a blanket and a bowl of cereal, like you used to for Saturday morning cartoons.
There’s some awesome stuff being done in the world of animated TV and movies, I hope you get a chance to check it out.
Originally published at https://vocal.media.
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