8 Simple Reasons to Move the TV Out of the Bedroom

Relationship Design, Simplicity

Originally posted January 27, 2011.

I’ve written a couple of times about our life with and without TV.
For a couple of years now, my wife and I have gone a month each year without TV, and we even planned on this last go round being permanent.
Quick update … it didn’t last.
But one thing that did happen from our last stint without TV, we got rid of the TV in our bedroom.
And since we’ve noticed the differences this change has made, I can’t see us ever having a set in our room again.
Here’s 8 simple reasons why:

  1. More and better sleep. Americans watch over 35 hours of television per week, which says to me the lure of the screen is simply too strong. I’m willing to bet that no one sets out to spend 5 hours a day watching television. But the temptation of the thing is too great… especially when we are tired. Not only does television in the bedroom keep us up later at night, but there are also studies that indicate watching television before bed actually disrupts sleep cycles. Removing the television from your bedroom an you can get more sleep …  and better sleep.
  2. More conversations. Some of the best conversations occur with your spouse during the waning parts of the day. You can simply sit and talk. You can prepare for the next day together. You can connect. That is, of course, unless the TV is on.
  3. Less clutter. A TV takes up a lot of space. It also attracts a lot of dust (all electronics do). Get rid of the thing and declutter your room. I’ve stated this before, nothing can ruin romance faster than clutter.
  4. Reserve your room for two things. Every room in your home has a purpose. Keep the master bedroom’s purpose down to two things … sleep and sex. Don’t pay bills on the bed. Don’t have arguments in the room. Treat your room as a special room and see what happens to the spirit and energy of your marriage.
  5. Life is meant to be lived … not watched. It is far too easy to fall into the trap of watching other people live and not living yourself. Top this off with the fact the people and the stories you’re watching aren’t even real. It sets you up for unrealistic expectations and disappointment. Connect with those you live with. Talk. Love. Plan. Dream. Then live it!
  6. Set a better example for your children. Our kids are sponges. They are also robots (to a degree). Meaning, they follow our lead, whether we like it or not. If I spend my time lost in my shows, what do you think they’ll want to do? By limiting the number of TV’s in your home and reducing the amount of time to watch it, you can lessen the amount of outside influence on your family. Please don’t come at me with the thought that advertising doesn’t affect you … it absolutely does. The human psyche is easily swayed by outside enticements. A quick side note: Children with televisions in their bedrooms score lower on school tests and are more likely to have sleep problems.Plus, having a TV in the bedroom is strongly associated with being overweight and a higher risk for smoking. Enough said.
  7. More reading. For many people, reading will help you get to sleep faster. Even if you’re not one of them, reading is better for your brain than TV. It access the creative centers of your brain more, it requires you to stretch and learn more, and the benefits of reading far outweigh the benefits of TV.
  8. More sex. Surely you knew this one would be on the list. Couples who have a TV in the bedroom have sex half as often as those who don’t. Do the math … to me, it’s a no brainer.

Try it out. There’s a lot of upside to this, even if you only experiment with it. Here’s just a few: 18 Good Reasons to Get Rid of TV, 11 Reasons to Ditch Your Television, and 4 Simple Reasons to Sell Your TV.
What’s your thought?