Enhance Your TV Viewing Experience

Overuse of the television can be detrimental to your health.

However, you'll find that in good moderation, a little TV will enhance your life. It relaxes, informs, educates, and entertains. This Instructable is how to get a little more relaxation and entertainment during your TV time.

Note: This instructable was made by a 14 year old, therefore the experience I have and vernacular I use may not convey my ideas well and/or you may not agree with my ideas. Feel free to comment and please offer your constructive criticism.

Also, I'm really open to your ideas. Give me a shout and I'll include you in a collabo, cause I'd love to hear what makes you relax better watching TV.

I can't stress this one enough. Limit your TV time.

Sure, I sound like your mom or parents or whoever, but it's true. It's not just for your physical activity and sunlight (vitamin D) needs, though.

Limiting TV time makes it more of a treat to watch it than a regular, boring old habit. And of course don't forget the aforementioned physical activity and vitamin D necessity.

Before watching TV, take a second and clear away any distractions. Anything in way of the TV is a big no-no. You don't want to be craning your neck while watching something.

Put your phone on vibrate, you don't want it ringing loudly and/or possibly scaring the crap out of you.

This one is pretty important for the whole relaxation thing. You have no idea how useful comfortable seating is to enjoying TV more. Case in point, don't try sitting through a movie in a hardwood chair.

While getting home after work and/or school and just dropping onto the couch may seem like a good game plan, there is a bit to improve on there. Take a minute or two to change into some soft house clothes. Like the couch, this is another no-brainer that people often forget.

Comfort, probably the most used word in this instructable. Grab some of the food named after it for TV.

Yes, I know, you like many others (not me, I'm skinny with a fast metabolism!) may be on a diet. Either find a healthy comfort food (granola bars, veggies and dip, or similar) or just indulge a bit. If you've been following the instructable, you'd notice the first step is about limiting TV time. If you limit it enough, then the one snack or so you take probably won't affect you much.

Chips, cake, fruit, or just hot chocolate for a cold night are all prime candidates. Just something to idly munch on helps. You'd be surprised how a flavor adds to a film!

Constantly! All of these seem like no-brainers, but when compounded they make for a much more enjoyable experience.

The main point is relaxation. Therefore, don't pick a news program or such. That's just going to make you depressed about the world and anxious.

Choose something interesting, funny, dramatic, or mindless.

Some bad programs in the context of relaxing:
CNN
Infomercials of any kind

Some great programs (in my opinion):
House
Dexter (both this and House will keep you intrigued)
Family Guy (FREAKIN' SWEET)
Late Night shows like Letterman, the Colbert report, etc.

If you want a huge difference consider investing in an HDTV and High Def digital TV. This is only for those with the resources to do it, and another no-brainer. Some might argue the term I used, to "invest". Feel free to, but for the record, I believe having a nice TV is investing money in your enjoyment.