Seeing Movies In Theaters Counts As Exercise, According to Scientific Study

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Seeing Movies In Theaters Counts As Exercise, According to Scientific Study

A recent scientific study has proven that watching a movie in a theater can be considered a form of exercise. Not only is this great news for moviegoers, but it also disproves a common stigma that watching a movie is lazy. Watching movies and TV shows is one of the most popular forms of relaxation in today's society. Who doesn't want to indulge in a Netflix binge session after a long day of work? Past studies have proven that watching movies can lead to eye damage, increased violence and weight gain and are partially to blame for the negative outlook on screen time. However, this new study chose to focus on a positive aspect of watching movies.

Cardio is an exercise that raises heart rate, therefore strengthening the heart. There are fairly obvious ways of increasing heart rate like running, swimming and cycling. Plenty of unlikely activities can be considered exercise like walking up a flight of stairs, walking a dog and mowing a lawn. Believe it or not, emotional experiences can also be considered cardio exercise. While stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on a person's health, it can benefit heart health. It has a similar effect to physical cardio exercise that raises a person's heart rate and therefore, strengthens their heart. What doesn't kill a person truly makes them stronger.

According to The Times, a study conducted by University College London scientists proved that watching movies is equivalent to light cardio exercise. Not only does watching an emotional scene from a film increase your heart rate, it also improves your brain's health and ability to focus. However, the study states that watching movies in the theater is a more effective form of exercise and no, it's not because the calories burned walking into the movie theater. In a movie theater, viewers have less distractions and are able to become more emotionally invested in the film.


The Times revealed the details of the experiment. The study focused on 51 moviegoers as they watched the live-action Aladdin in theaters. The participants in the control group read a novel. Each participant wore sensors that indicated body temperature, heart rate and skin reaction. The moviegoers' heart rates ranged between 40 percent and 80 percent into the healthy heart range for approximately 45 minutes of the movie, the same way going for a brisk walk would. Moviegoers even synced heart rates and emotional skin reaction during particularly intense moments of the film. If Aladdin is a brisk walk, Avengers: Endgame must be a marathon.

This study proves that movies not only provide positive emotional experiences but physical benefits, and it's yet more proof that movies make life better. Just because watching movies is a relaxing activity, it doesn't mean that it's lazy. While watching a movie, the mind is working hard to piece together plot points, assess characters and process extreme emotions during intense scenes. Science is proving that emotions and mental health are linked to physical health more by the day. It's no surprise that such an invigorating emotional experience would have the same physical experience. So skip the gym this new year and hit the movie theater instead!