Don’t Waste Your Money On The Gym: Trips To The Movie Theater Might Be As Good As Exercise
Here’s something for everyone that has been working out super hard since New Year’s Day. It turns out you’ve been wasting your money on a gym membership when you could…
NELIGH, NE – SEPTEMBER 28: Dillon Smith gets popcorn for customers in the concession stand at the TK/Starlite Drive-In Theater on September 28, 2013 in Neligh, Nebraska. The theater, which opened in 1952, is one of only two drive-in theaters left in Nebraska, a state that once had almost 50. At the peak of their popularity in the late 1950s there were between 4 and 5 thousand drive-in theaters in the United States, there are now only about 350. As movie studios begin to phase out distribution of 35mm film prints in favor of digital media, the high cost drive-in theaters face when switching to a digital projection system is expected to force more of these theaters to close. The TK/ Starlite installed a digital projector earlier this year. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty ImagesHere’s something for everyone that has been working out super hard since New Year’s Day. It turns out you’ve been wasting your money on a gym membership when you could have been spending it on movie tickets instead.
Wait, what?
According to scientists from University College London, going to see a movie could be as good for your health as some light cardio at the gym. Their studies show watching a film is good for your heart health, memory, and concentration. And it’s a lot easier than burpees.
For their study, the researchers monitored the heart rate, body temperature, and skin reactions of 51 people watching Disney’s live-action version of Aladdin. They discovered their heart rates entered the “healthy heart zone” for around 45 minutes during the movie which means they got the health benefits equivalent of a not-so brisk walk.
Ready to do a home workout aka doing some Netflixing? Not so fast! That’s not going to work. Apparently, you’ll only get the health benefits from a trip to the theater. Our brains need to experience the “undivided attention” that a dark theater provides and your combination of couch and cell phone are lacking.
