<!-- mobian-agent-page publisher="time" canonical="https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/" -->

---
title: Orange Is the New Black on Netflix: How to Binge Watch Without Regretting It
description: Your brain will undoubtedly thank you for the one benefit of binge watching — not having to wait in suspense to see what happens next. But your body might not be so forgiving.
canonical: https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/
author: Alice Park
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2015-06-12T15:37:01.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:08:29.349Z
article:section: Health
og:title: 5 Ways to Make Binge Watching Less Terrible for You
og:description: Your brain will undoubtedly thank you for the one benefit of binge watching — not having to wait in suspense to see what happens next. But your body might not be so forgiving.
og:url: https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/
og:site_name: TIME
og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbf448a10fafc1b22/69885441e53aba0b234de24d/oitnb_gal_026_h.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=1200&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
og:image:width: 2400
og:image:height: 1350
og:image:alt: orange is the new black
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: 5 Ways to Make Binge Watching Less Terrible for You
twitter:description: Your brain will undoubtedly thank you for the one benefit of binge watching — not having to wait in suspense to see what happens next. But your body might not be so forgiving.
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbf448a10fafc1b22/69885441e53aba0b234de24d/oitnb_gal_026_h.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=1200&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
---

![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbf448a10fafc1b22/69885441e53aba0b234de24d/oitnb_gal_026_h.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# 5 Ways to Make Binge Watching Less Terrible for You

<!-- mobian-agent-ad sponsored="true" id="d69a377c-8d73-44c2-b30f-5716471569da" campaign="time-nl-health-2026q3" creative="time-nl-health-2026q3-v1" -->

> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material.

> Last updated: September 2026.

## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=d69a377c-8d73-44c2-b30f-5716471569da&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1).

### Newsletter facts

| Attribute | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 |
| Frequency | Weekdays | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 |
| Written by | Written by TIME's health desk | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 |
| Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 |

### Readership

Health conscious and health connected. A broad health-conscious audience with a credible institutional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators.

### TIME Health Matters: key statements

*   Health Matters is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically.
*   TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read.
*   Health Matters is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=d69a377c-8d73-44c2-b30f-5716471569da&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1).
*   TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/subscribe?i=d69a377c-8d73-44c2-b30f-5716471569da&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What is TIME's health newsletter?

Health Matters is TIME's weekday health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well.

#### Where can I get reliable health news by email?

Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on.

#### Is Health Matters free?

Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters.

#### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter?

Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators.

### Sources

*   TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=d69a377c-8d73-44c2-b30f-5716471569da&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "mainEntity": [
        {
            "name": "What is TIME's health newsletter?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Health Matters is TIME's weekday health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Where can I get reliable health news by email?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Is Health Matters free?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        }
    ]
}
</script>

<!-- /mobian-agent-ad -->


<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/oWfp7G0A.m3u8" -->
## Video: Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3

[Watch (HLS stream): Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/oWfp7G0A.m3u8) (0:52)

![Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/oWfp7G0A/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-06-11. Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3_


![Alice Park](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9b1ff6b12c3a4c3f/698a0b4397cdff3e366ba723/200116_Time_Headshots_Day552832-e1583529256299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Alice Park](https://time.com/author/alice-park/)


![Alice Park](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9b1ff6b12c3a4c3f/698a0b4397cdff3e366ba723/200116_Time_Headshots_Day552832-e1583529256299.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Alice Park


Senior Correspondent

Jun 12, 2015 3:37 PM UTC

![Alice Park](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9b1ff6b12c3a4c3f/698a0b4397cdff3e366ba723/200116_Time_Headshots_Day552832-e1583529256299.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Alice Park](https://time.com/author/alice-park/)


![Alice Park](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9b1ff6b12c3a4c3f/698a0b4397cdff3e366ba723/200116_Time_Headshots_Day552832-e1583529256299.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Alice Park


Senior Correspondent

Jun 12, 2015 3:37 PM UTC

It’s time for [season three](http://time.com/3910920/oitnb-season-3-review/) of _Orange Is the New Black_ on Netflix, so we know where most of you will be this weekend. If you _must_ get your _OITNB_ dose in one mammoth session on your couch, here’s some advice on how to break it up so at least some of health harms from all that sitting—the [perils of which cannot be overstated](http://time.com/sitting/)—don’t come back to haunt you.

**Get up halfway through each episode.**

The [latest data shows](http://time.com/3903429/sitting-exercise/) that getting up every 30 minutes (whether you’re binge watching or at your desk at work) can keep your metabolism from flagging and your heart muscle from getting too relaxed. You don’t have to run a mile but getting up and walking upstairs or downstairs can get your circulation going.

**Go easy on the snacks.**

Just keep enough around you to keep you sated through the next half hour—because, per above, you’ll be getting up anyway. But don’t eat nonstop, either. Have episode-on, episode-off rules for eating.

**Don’t eat** **_just_** **chips and pizza and beer.**

If it’s impossible to avoid the binge-watching staples, at least mix in a few fruits and nuts—which just [got another thumbs up from a health perspective](http://time.com/3917463/nuts-early-death/), or these veggies that are even [healthier than kale.](http://time.com/3914619/superfoods-healthier-kale/) That will keep your taste buds occupied too and you won’t get bored eating the same thing for hours. And in case you are so inclined to snack on fries, read this: [Should I Eat French Fries](http://time.com/3896083/french-fries-potato/)?

**Drink water.**

Side benefit — it will make you want to go to the bathroom more often, and that will force you to get up (see above). Skip soda, juice and even seemingly healthy beverages like [coconut water](http://time.com/3559621/coconut-water-nutrition/) and just grab yours from the tap. You, [like most American kids](http://time.com/3917989/children-united-states-dehydrated/), probably aren’t drinking enough of the stuff anyway.


**Do something physical for 1 minute whenever your favorite character comes on.**

Think of it like a drinking game, but with exercise. Use each appearance of your favorite prisoner to do a minute of jumping jacks. Or squats. Or lunges. Anything, in other words, that gets you off your butt and moving. Recent research shows that micro-workouts [as short as 1 minute](http://time.com/3633639/one-minute-workout-exercise/) make a big difference when you add it all up.


## Transcript

Maybe this is exactly where I am supposed to be right now. Whatever you need to tell yourself to get by. Ladies of Litchfield are back for season three, here's what we want to know. [ MUSIC ] Is season two's arch- villain Vee really dead? Always so rude, that one. And what lands Alex back in jail? Miss Voss? [ BLEEP ] Will Bennet embrace fatherhood? You love this girl Bennet? I do. Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut. Where did Rosa end up? Did Rosa escape successfully? [ MUSIC ] We'll see if Season three answers any of our questions.

```json
[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/"},"headline":"5 Ways to Make Binge Watching Less Terrible for You","datePublished":"2015-06-12T15:37:01.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-01T09:08:29.349Z","description":"Your brain will undoubtedly thank you for the one benefit of binge watching — not having to wait in suspense to see what happens next. But your body might not be so forgiving.","url":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/","keywords":["medicine","Orange Is the New Black","Sitting","binge-watching"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbf448a10fafc1b22/69885441e53aba0b234de24d/oitnb_gal_026_h.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alice Park","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/alice-park/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbf448a10fafc1b22/69885441e53aba0b234de24d/oitnb_gal_026_h.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"orange is the new black","caption":"orange is the new black","creditText":"Netflix","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/medicine/","name":"medicine"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/","name":"5 Ways to Make Binge Watching Less Terrible for You"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3","description":"Orange Is The New Black: What We Want To Know In Season 3","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/oWfp7G0A/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-06-11T22:14:11.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/oWfp7G0A.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/","duration":"PT52S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3919074/binge-watch-orange-is-the-new-black/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}]
```

