“Guilty Pleasures” May be good for your health

Are you guilty of spending a little too much time playing Minecraft? Do you like watching reality TV shows, or reading trashy novels? No matter what kind of person you are, you probably have a guilty pleasure or two that you indulge in. Things you enjoy doing that others may look down on, or don't see as quality entertainment.

Although you're probably not going to get any cultural enlightenment from watching Real Housewives, indulging in habits that make you happy but aren't productive have a real purpose. They allow our brains to truly rest, instead of filling up downtime with “problem solving” skills.

While problem solving during downtime is a survival trait that helped humans survive for millenia, when taken too far it can be detrimental to our health. We don't need to be scanning the bush for predators at all times, and if reading a trashy novel helps us take our mind off of problems for a while, it can actually help us be more rested and be better able to handle the real problems that do come up.

On the flip side, too much problem solving can be bad for our health. When we focus on all the negatives in life, or only on self improvement, we exhaust our brains decision making skills on fantasies that may never come to light, and may even lose sleep over it.

 Guilty pleasures are, by their own definition, harmless. Watching reality TV shows isn't going to harm anyone. Playing video games won't effect anyone else but you. There's no reason to be embarrassed about them, but instead, look at them as useful and productive tools in their own right.

So the next time you want to indulge in a selfie fest, or just eat an absolutely huge chocolate bar, go ahead. It may help your brain get the legitimate downtime its been craving. It may feel like a guilty pleasure, but according to science—there's no such thing.