We all know that watching TV is one of the most popular ways for people to wind down after a long day at work. In fact, Onebed recorded a study that proves 82% of adults like to watch streaming content before sleeping. Before bed, it feels comforting to engage with some of the best stories on Netflix, Max, and Hulu, but that doesn’t mean it’s the healthiest option for entertainment. Before sleeping, it’s best to relax your body and your mind in preparation for a good night’s rest. Being on pins and needles as you live vicariously through a zombie apocalypse or engage with past familial trauma through the eyes of a wealthy empire is way more likely to reinvigorate you and encourage more binge-watching when you need to shut those eyes down for the night.
Onebed’s study went a step further to find out which recent shows are the most restrictive to quality sleep after binging them. If you want to stay caught up on all of the modern classics, it’s best to watch these hits during the wake of the day instead of mere minutes before shutting down for the day. Studies say don’t watch these five TV shows before bed.
5. The Last of Us (2023)
The Last of Us has redefined what it takes to translate a great video game into a TV series. There were so many expectations placed on creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin when this series was announced, and the first season didn’t disappoint in any way. Emmy nominations for lead performers Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey verified the quality of the program. The second season is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025 on HBO. The story will pick up where we left off with Joel taking Ellie from the hospital that was going to extract a cure for the zombie apocalypse. The studies by Onebed show that The Last of Us isn’t exactly the most relaxing experience before bed (what a shock.) Zombies and the end of the world create a fight-or-flight survivalist response in the human brain that makes it hard to fall asleep. People are on the edge of their seats hoping for Joel and Ellie to save the world and themselves. Our love for these characters makes us worry about their fates long after the screen goes black. Stress and emotional attachment to people in danger are never a good recipe for getting to bed on time.
4. Succession (2018)
Succession doesn’t have any zombies. No fire-breathing dragons are bearing down on the city. The most violent scenes in the four seasons of the series are siblings cascading name-calling and jealousy onto each other, and yet no other show in the last decade has a claim for being more intense or visceral than this HBO drama. Creator Jesse Armstrong has an uncanny ability to tap into what makes people tick as he breaks down each member of the Roy family one by one in their efforts to win the prize of becoming the clan’s business monarch. Succession won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series three times out of its four seasons. Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin both won Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Onebed’s study says that the backstabbing and traumatic drama behind the Roy family’s arguments makes it hard to fall asleep after watching an episode. The dialogue in the series is also complex and requires viewers to pay attention in ways that other more relaxing shows don’t.
3. DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story fictionalized one of America’s most famous serial killers in a way that engrossed audiences for months after its 2022 release. While the series is uniquely entertaining and addicting, it doesn’t take a genius to agree that there’s nothing less relaxing than reliving the actions of a psychopath. Onebed’s study says creator Ryan Murphy’s series is a threatening story that stresses out the human brain. True crime as a genre is thoroughly upsetting and shouldn’t be viewed before bed. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is just the most obvious example of the entire category’s sleep-destroying properties.
2. Stranger Things (2016)
1. Squid Game (2021)
Squid Game’s life or death stakes have made it the most watched Netflix series of all time. Many people view it as similar to the popular movie The Hunger Games. Squid Game understands what motivates desperate humans as the contestants of a lethal competition do whatever it takes to survive and win a life-changing cash prize. Anytime there are life and death-consequences in a TV show, you can assume that won’t be the coziest scenario to fall asleep to. Squid Game should be enjoyed long before you’re tired late at night. The third season should come out later in 2025.
